Poor Leadership, shady HR Team, and tough environment - Anonymous employee CAE Employee Review

1.0
Sep 10, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

*Product line is amazing and unique. *The company allows employees to be off every other Friday. *Compensation was reasonable for my skill level.

Cons

*I enjoyed working with many of the people at CAE, as we all learned to accept the negatives with the overall mission of the company ... saving people's live with our product. However, I often felt that the company message expressed to me by my direct executive manager, "behind closed doors," was not the same as the message stated on the company website. It was not unusual for my executive manager to talk negatively about company performance and other managers at all levels. This created an environment that was uncomfortable at times and lacked trust. *HR runs the company! After a few months of working there, I was warned by a manager that the HR Group Leader is the kingpin who can spin the truth anyway that he pleases for either your benefit or your demise. This perception is apparently shared by many because employees are generally afraid to express their concerns to HR, in fear that somehow it will come back to haunt them in the future. *Training on the computer system is poor. Management has the "figure it out yourself" mentality, which oftentimes equates to errors in the inventory and accounting system, as well as long hours of troubleshooting. *Company morale is low. While working at this company, I have seen many good employees fired. Back when this company was METI, I was told that turnover was rare; however, employees now come to work afraid of whether they are the next to lose their job. Management seems to hire more than necessary when working on a large project, and then layoff as soon as the project is over. Additionally, HR and executive management prefer to fire instead of coach, which can be costly for the company. This is not good for job stability. *There are no formalized policies and procedures for any department, which makes it difficult to train others with the high turnover, leading to unnecessary errors and long hours trying to "figure things out." Overall, this was an experience that I am glad I had, as I know that it will improve my skills and outlook through my career. Sometimes you need to experience the bad in order to know what good looks like!

Explore other reviews about CAE

5.0
Mar 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

CAE offers the opportunity to work in a highly respected and technically advanced aviation environment. The work itself is meaningful, especially knowing the impact our services have on pilot safety and training outcomes. Many of the employees are knowledgeable, dedicated, and genuinely care about doing the right thing for clients. The Las Vegas team is collaborative, and there is a strong sense of teamwork when challenges arise. Leadership has supported improvements during periods of transition, including operational changes and facility moves, and there is exposure to multiple areas of the business that support my professional growth. CAE also provides solid benefits and stability as a global organization, which is reassuring in a fast-changing industry.

Cons

Like many large organizations, business decisions are made without the appropriate change management or the end user being considered. Resource constraints, such has limitations on hiring, particularly during periods of growth place additional strain on frontline teams. Communication and alignment between departments or Centers are inconsistent. Some operational issues would benefit from more proactive planning rather than reactive fixes. There are opportunities to further invest in tools, equipment, and infrastructure to better support employees and client.

3.0
Jun 12, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great team of people to work with, easy going environment, amazing benefits especially pto and sick time

Cons

Lots of nepotism among management that favor relatives or close friends for hiring, promotions, or assignments, also micro management and a get it done attitude rather than focus on quality

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