Paralyzed by a culture of risk-aversion - Manager Philips Employee Review

3.0
Feb 2, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

A global company with good technology, good people and good benefits. They support self-development through internal training classes. Unfortunately the talent is wasted because Philips fosters a culture of consensus. Consensus is good but Philips has taken it to a level that paralyzes and stifles the talent that can help Philips become the industry leader.

Cons

In 2 years, I have witnessed 3 reorganizations in one department. Our product development lifecycle process is longer than that. Constantly reorganizing singles reactionary leadership not strategic leadership. The multiple reorganizations have led to a lot of political wrangling and fulfillment of personal agendas that have not benefitted the company. The business group is the only one that is profitable but it could be 4 or 5 times as profitable. The business unit is too risk averse; most decisions are done by committee which increases the length of time to develop an action plan and implement it. Strong decisive leadership is not encouraged.

Explore other reviews about Philips

5.0
Jun 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Work life balance, pay, opportunities

Cons

Slow moving industry, management style

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Philips Response
5d
Thank you for sharing your perspective and for your ongoing dedication to our organization. We acknowledge the feedback regarding internal organizational dynamics. As a leader in a heavily regulated and critical sector, we remain fully focused on process optimization, streamlining decision-making, and enhancing leadership alignment to cultivate a highly agile environment for our teams worldwide. We encourage you to reach out to HR or your manager for an open discussion regarding your feedback, and we appreciate your continued contributions to our shared mission.
2.0
Jun 15, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The people in non- upper management roles that work there are fantastic. Great sense of community onsite and the culture champions are consistently looking for ways to make work life better.

Cons

Very poor communication on the strategy for the business unit. Leadership publicly promotes innovation and new ideas to be presented but then those ideas are shot down or penalized in private by current upper management. The business unit leadership says that don't want excuses for project delays but will then decide to do 3 major layoffs in the first two quarters with no transition plan, no support for gap in resources and no expectations to delayed progress.

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Philips Response
15h
Thanks for sharing your feedback and for your 7.5 years of service with us. It’s great to hear that you found a fantastic sense of community and culture onsite among your colleagues. We’re sorry to hear about your experience. Your perspective on management transparency and resource support is incredibly helpful, and we’re actively working to improve our ways of working. We appreciate your dedication over the years and your honest insights, which help us focus on building a better workplace. We wish you all the best in your future career.
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