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Penguin Random House

Is this your company?

Comfortable, friendly, a little boring. You'll love it if you love books. Don't expect to be challenged. - Anonymous employee Penguin Random House Employee Review

3.0
Mar 3, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great benefits; friendly; laid back; low stress; As far as trade publishing goes, they are one of the best to work for. Great place to be 'comfortable', if that's what you crave. Work-Life balance is top notch here; If you have kids this is about as flexible and understanding as it gets. As far as trade publishing goes, PRH is best in class. They are absolutely industry leaders in print publishing - the supply chain, operations, sales and production capabilities are at the top of the industry, and a well-oiled machine. Generally pretty stable. With the merger of Penguin and Random House, they have positioned themselves to be the most stable of the big trade publishers for years to come.

Cons

When it comes to digital and direct to consumer, they are pretty clueless. Management is full of print people, so it's not surprising. "Digital" is seen as hard and risky. Unfortunately, not a data or design driven environment. Decisions tend to be ego driven which can lead to frustration among employees who are doing their best and offering fresh ideas and approaches. Too much micromanagement, in general. Imprints, teams and business units can be provincial. Lack of ethnic and academic diversity in the workforce. This certainly doesn't help creativity and innovation, and leads to the perception that pedigree matters more than ability.

Explore other reviews about Penguin Random House

5.0
Jun 30, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

super friendly work environment, very understanding, very fun

Cons

in consumer marketing department, a large number of people work remotely

5.0
Jun 20, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

• Caring people. Psychological safety is emphasized by people at every level. I feel like leadership at each step of the reporting chain is very approachable and transparent. • Great work/life balance. • There is a lot of openness to trying new technologies or doing different things for such a large and established organization. There is very little "trend chasing," it's more like you're listened to. As the CEO started out as a technologist, he has a realistic view of what new tools (including, but not just, AI) can do for us. • Informal, especially for a company created by the merger of two nearly-100 year old publishing firms and was recently acquired by a nearly-200 year old company. • Company supports learning and development. • Free books! • I care greatly about the company's mission and it's clear how my work impacts the company's ability to execute on it. • Things often move slowly, which is both a pro and a con.

Cons

• Pay and insurance are very average, but I can live with that. This is a much bigger con for employees whose jobs require them to be on-site, especially in e.g. London and New York. • Said learning and development seem to have a ...deliberate pace. While this is fine and what I wanted, other tech people coming in from more "tech-y" organizations mightn't gel with it. • Things often move slowly, which is both a pro and a con.

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