IPG Photonics reviews

Even best work is often not stimulating. Mandatory overtime is common and unwarranted. Turnover in some departments is atrocious. Different managers will undercut each other’s projects to get ahead. No communication or cooperation between groups unless someone very high up gets involved. Managers claim credit for employees ideas. Many important things don’t happen until the CEO gets angry.

There are no formal reviews. No on-paper recognition for contributions of lower-level workers. I received regular raises and moderate, unspecific verbal praise through and past the day I was laid off (part of the large layoff in 2019). My departure left a significant deficit in skills that IPG has not replicated 1 year later. I am certain that no one besides my team and direct supervisor was aware what I contributed. I also think that an entire product line was scapegoated for issues that were 100% relevant to poor management. There were few well organized projects with milestones and structure. This would have helped contributions to be visible and added to my job satisfaction. Management utilizes the innovation of those below them, typically without giving credit, to advance their position to a level they are incompetent for. If you are an outgoing narcissist, you will do well here. Everyone else will end up stuck in their lab, if lucky, with like-minded good people. If you are unlucky, the lack of management means toxicity and incompetence are also unnoticed and can fester. There is a significant amount of sexism, cronyism, elitism, and bullying. The wastefulness due to incompetent planning and poor oversight is rather distasteful.