Barilla Group reviews

No supportive career path for most positions. Some employees that have been promised promotions are still waiting months or even years for the promotion to take effect. Usually given the workload of the promoted position, with no title change or salary increase. "Smart Working" policy is pushed as a great company-wide perk to balance life/work, however, depending on your manager, you may not be allowed to utilize it. Unprecedented recent and forthcoming layoffs have current employees walking on eggshells. Some of the staff is extremely overworked, over-traveled and spread thin, while others do very little. Office politics and favoritism are issues. What is completely acceptable in one department/team (bending the dress code, leaving early, taking long lunches, working from home), may not be acceptable with the department/team down the hall and creates tension. There is also growing tension between long-time employees and new, millennial employees. Bonuses this year were paid out at a fraction of what they were in the past. Interviewing for a job can be very difficult and lengthy. While you may seem like a perfect candidate to local HR, if HR in Italy (where parent company is located) doesn't agree, you're out - no questions asked. Interviews can go to 3 or 4 rounds over a month or more.

The last few years have seen lots of change, and there is more on the way. The company will be moving approximately 25 miles away, making commuting much more difficult for the vast majority of employees. No flexibility will be given as far as work hours, travel reimbursement/allowance, etc. Many people have left the company and will be leaving the company for this reason alone. Salaries have now been "capped" and once you hit the ceiling for your particular position, you will never see a raise again - not even a COLA raise. People also leaving the company for this reason. Global HQ in Italy is now calling all the shots whereas they used to be less involved. They want the company to be globally aligned, yet they maintain seperate and unequal '"corporate rules" by location. Italy has also forced out over half of the Leadership team in the last 6-8 months. All of those people were, loyal, hard-working, dedicated good folks who were absolute assets to the company. Italy has an "its our way or the highway" attitude if you question any of their actions, they show you the door. Work/life balance overall is good, but it really depends on what department you work in and who your direct manager is. No consistency. Some employees allowed to work from home whenever they want, others are not allowed at all. Same thing with coming in late and leaving early on a daily basis. Some managers don't care, others watch the clock. With so many people leaving so quickly, chaos is ensuing. Workloads are getting dumped onto others that are already overworked and the frustration and aggrevation is clearly evident. HR has trouble filling open positions because pay is no longer competitive and is too low. 10% of the corp. workforce has left the company in the last 8-10 months with another 30% or so planning on leaving in the next year. I don't know how the company will survive with no bodies there to do the work.