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Principal Financial Group

Engaged Employer

Reorgs shouldn't be the companies strategy for success - Senior Software Engineer I Principal Financial Group Employee Review

1.0
Sep 3, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Nice flexibility. Most coworkers are easy to work with.

Cons

Two reorgs in the first 8 months I've been with the company. A sure sign management doesn't know what they are doing when the only solution is to shuffle people around and hope it helps. A clear bias is shown towards Des Moines-local employees. My direct manager (or "leader" in Principal-speak) was completely clueless as to what it took to lead a team. I spoke with my leader's leader about it and was brushed off. People don't leave bad jobs, they leave bad leaders. For a company that specializes in benefits, requiring 3 years of employment before 401k matching is vested is lame.

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Principal Financial Group Response
1y
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We're invested in building the best possible experience for our employees, and seek to foster an innovative, inclusive, and collaborative culture. In that spirit we encourage you to visit the HR Service Center to provide your feedback.

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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