Good Company Gone Bad - Applications Developer Highmark Health Employee Review

1.0
Jul 17, 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I started at Highmark in their Emerging Leadership Program. If you manage to get into that, it's a nice introduction to the world of corporate technology. There is a gym on site which is convenient for lunch breaks as well.

Cons

As I said above I started at Highmark in the Emerging Leadership Program. After two years I was rotated out to a normal position working on their customer facing website. During that time I saw Highmark separated their technology company and named it HMHS. This caused a change in workplace atmosphere, from a company that cared about people, work life balance, etc, into a corporate meat grinder, that cares nothing about employees and only about their customers demands. Speaking of which, the company does not know how to solution at all. Instead of the customers coming with a problem, and the company suggesting multiple solutions that could solve it, the customers come to the company with solutions, which are often not founded in what is technology feasible. These solutions are then thrust down on the app devs from upper management, usually accompanied by wildly aggressive and unrealistic deadlines. I've seen fellow developers in my time there easily work 60-80 hour weeks. This would all be well and good if excelling employees were recognized and rewarded. But it seemed like the only reward at HMHS was a pat on the back, and twice as much work, because those who got tired of the environment quit and were never replaced. Or if they were, it was with contractors who don't even know what a debugger is. What makes this all the worse is that their pay is not competitive in Pittsburgh either. And they are stubborn at best to promote employees, or give them fair raises, so the advancement opportunities there are scarce. Their technology stack is largely out of date as well, and the process to get new technology approved and implemented is fraught with so much politics and red-tape it is near impossible. Not to mention many useful websites are blocked through their internet, due to "risks". Who knew github was a risk? Overall I would not recommend anyone to work at HMHS. It is too

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5.0
Jun 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

good culture and work life balance

Cons

Lack of growth opportunities. rto

4.0
Jul 21, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

Solid mission and values Good benefits Annual Employee Incentive Program

Cons

Highly bureaucratic Less innovative than competitors

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