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Principal Financial Group

Engaged Employer

Very complacent/no mobility - Consulting Chief Financial Officer Principal Financial Group Employee Review

2.0
Jan 21, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Very nice gym at HQ that's free to use, free parking, tunnels to avoid weather between parking garage/different buildings. Most people in PGI (think Wall St) seem to enjoy what they do. Pretty good benefits.

Cons

Mgmt wants to keep everything like it has been, not open to new ideas, you won't be recognized for being good at your job. Everything is about being friends with mgmt and not about merit. Training is lacking and you will be faulted for not doing more yourself. I asked for more work, was not given any, and then reviewed poorly for not being able to read minds and take work from others (that I wasn't trained on). Pay is exceptionally poor and raises are non-existent. Good luck surviving long enough to get a promotion after being overworked and underappreciated.

Explore other reviews about Principal Financial Group

5.0
May 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Three years in and still LOVE it. Great leadership. Work-like balance. Principal invests in their employees with training and professional development. It's very telling when literally thousands of employees have been there for 20-25-30+ years.

Cons

First time in a large company. Sometimes it is tricky to find the right internal partner to get the answer you need.

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Principal Financial Group Response
2w
We appreciate your feedback! Hearing that you felt supported reinforces what we're proud of—the strong community we've built together.
2.0
Jun 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Decent work life balance and benefits. Principal offers a pension which is unheard of in today’s age.

Cons

Pay is below average and Principal does not offer inflation raises. Once you hit the midpoint of your salary, you will get a 0% raise until you’re promoted, which will take multiple years regardless of performance. Performance reviews are vague and often used against employees to avoid promotions. At least in my department, I’ve yet to see any of the remote workers be promoted. This is starting to affect attrition and we’re already starting to see people leaving. It’s well known at this point that the best way to get promoted is to leave Principal and get rehired, which even leadership has stated publicly. This is a huge frustration and blow to morale, as it starts to feel like employees need to compete against their co-workers for raises.

1
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Principal Financial Group Response
1w
We appreciate you sharing your feedback. As a leader in retirement solutions and employee benefits, we strive to provide our employees with a competitive benefits package. Our global pay philosophy is guided by market-driven principles. and we leverage third-party market data to ensure our base salary and incentives remain appropriately competitive.
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