Unilever reviews

4.0

80% would recommend to a friend

(11,374 total reviews)

Hein Schumacher

65% approve of CEO

64% positive business outlook

Unilever has an employee rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars, based on 11,374 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Unilever employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Manufactura industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

11K reviews
1.0
Nov 17, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

None. Get the work experience or Not, and get out after 1-2 years or sooner before even your First Year Anniversary. Good agile, flexible culture (if your manager will allow it). But No one has their own desk anymore since Jan. 2017 and everyone is required to work like a Nomad and carry around their desk, laptop, papers etc. in a suitcase. I'm actively searching for a new, Real Job.

Cons

You'll Get Stuck at Associate or Manager Level or Lower for Years, There are Employees who have been working there for 10+ Years and are still at Associate or Manager Level, Low Salaries, No Upward Mobility. The Shuttle Buses are a joke and worse than the MTA Subway System of NYC. I never thought that any other transportation system be worse than the MTA. The Shuttle stops are limited at 1-2 in the morning for each stop location and if you miss your Shuttle especially if they're crowded and the Shuttle Company is late sending another Shuttle or doesNot send another one at all, you're screwed. You'll miss morning meetings, work etc. which means you'll be in trouble with your boss. At least with the MTA Subways, NJ Transit or NJPath there are multiple trains every few minutes and even if there's a major delay you can exit from a station that's close enough to your destination. Additional Cons: -no career development since there are few if any openings above Associate or Manager-level -no support from Management, HR or other functions -irrational leadership (Executive Management/Middle Management/HR/Comms) - stay far away from them!!!! The turnover rate of employee is staggering Get in, get the experience, and get out. Do not stay as they will string you along with implications of promotion and recognition, but you will lose a lot of your earning potential in this time period. The salaries are also low in addition to the absurd joke of 1-3% Bonuses of Base Salary. Unilever also has lofty goals such as using technology, AI, etc.. Unilever is destitute, has razor thin profit margins and can Not afford even $3000 laptops per employee, Meeting Rooms’ Monitors for Presentations or competent Tech Support. In general, Unilever’s “Technology”, software, systems etc. are 10 years old and Unilever is stuck in the first decade of the 21st Century. It’s a Dead-end company with Dead-end jobs. I could go on and on, but Unilever’s Not worth it to write an Encyclopedia about that’s why I’m actively searching for a Real Job!

1.0
Jan 2, 2018

overrated

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Three weeks vacation. Looks great on a resume. There is a small on site store that operates once a week and gives you discounts on a select variety of shampoos and teas

Cons

Layoffs too often. No Christmas party, catered lunches, team lunches or snacks in my experience. Hiring freezes means that when a team member moves on, goes on mat leave or is laid off, they are not replaced and the work goes back on you. False promises. The company doesnt pay out full bonus often enough. Recent changes in management means no more working from home or agile workplace compared to before. Payroll department makes payment and tax errors. If you're in supply chain, there is a chance you may be picked for Month End-- working weekends and evenings once a month for one year for no extra pay. Every year it seems there are new cut backs. Morale feels low.

2.0
May 19, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There are still a lot of smart, passionate people at Unilever who are great to work with and learn from. Many people actually believe in Unilever’s social and sustainability strategy, and act accordingly. The majority of people behave ethically and politely. It’s a great place to build up your skills quickly, and in some parts of the world, having Unilever on your CV is still meaningful

Cons

1. In many roles, the amount of work and hours required is overwhelming. Headcount is always being reduced, but the work required is always increasing. 2. Unilever’s compassion does not extend to its employees. In some areas, layoffs and restructuring are constant. Employee turnover is high, for example, in Unilever’s global business services, 80% of the management team has left in the past 6 months. Most of next level of the organization is being laid off as their roles are eliminated or shifted to low cost countries. 3. Pay is average, bonuses are decreasing, and the company continues to cut benefits. Almost all the offices are open seating, so the work environment is noisy and frequently filthy. 4. Unilever has a huge amount of outsourcing, offshoring, contractors, and consultants. In some areas, the shadow organization is so strong, Unilever has lost control of the company. 5. Management knee jerk reacts to every consultancy recommendation. Lately, they are all running around worried about travel costs and colored printing instead of the structural defects in their business model. The board is invisible. 6. Unilever moves slowly, it takes forever to make a decision (if it ever even gets made). Processes are complex and brittle, and everything being outsourced makes it more difficult to get even the simplest thing accomplished. 7. Unilever relentlessly markets their “save the world” mission to employees, with an equally strong message of "save money wherever, however possible." Customers and consumers are an after thought. 8. Unilever discriminates against anyone who doesn't meet the current correct "identity." If you are in the developed world or white or male or over 40, expect to be laid off.

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Unilever Response
9y
Hi. Thank you very much for your review and comments. We always appreciate candid feedback - both positive and constructive. Firstly, we would like to suggest setting up a meeting with your HR Business Partner to talk further about some of the points you have outlined above. This will allow us to further investigate where appropriate. It's good to see though that you mention the passionate people you work alongside and the ability to up-skill swiftly. We'll ensure your comments around workload, renumeration and decision making are passed on to the respective teams. We wish you all the best and want to thank you again for your review.
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