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Principal Financial Group

Engaged Employer

Marketing Communications - Communications Strategist Principal Financial Group Employee Review

2.0
Jan 13, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Flexible work schedule for most, on-site cafeteria, connected to skywalks, daycare provided

Cons

I was with the company for 10 years in marketing/communications. I had 10 different bosses in those years, due to shifting and restructuring. Some bosses were great; others were not. When I got back from maternity leave, I was treated like I had a bad disease - no more working from home, my responsibilities got cut and I had to be in my chair by X time, even though I was salaried and had excellent reviews before. It got so bad, I had to go on meds, and then I just had to leave. So it all depends on who you work for.

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
1w
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
1d
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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