Promises of a Once-Great Company--Dashed
Pros
The pro's of a company like PPL can be described thusly: OK to moderately-OK pay (though lower than average for most like-jobs); Moderately-OK to middling benefits package (that's being cut more and more thoroughly each year); OK to average work expectations from a managerial point of view, on paper. It's a well-established company in the region with a Fortune 500, Blue Chip reputation. The people underneath management level are trying to do the best job they can with the limited resources they have, and are generally friendly and helpful to keep you around.
Cons
Now, let's talk about the cons of a place like PPL--With a company that's almost 100 years old, there are many things that have changed with the times and those that have not. Those that changed have only done so due to state and federal regulations, such as OSHA and labor laws. And if you think of a Fortune 500 company being dog-eat-dog, you'll get what the culture is. The "good ol' boys club" is alive and well. They preach diversity but generally, behind closed doors, will only take advice from those who are well below the cost expectations, or those who are the old white men. Nobody takes responsibility for anything but successes, but their environment rarely creates those. Stagnant workers with the old promise of pensions and/or being hired being dashed as their hiring practices are all over the board or plain nonexistent (unless it's internally, through political meandering). Make sure you know someone high-up before you try to join the organization, because you'll need it. They're behind the times in understanding technology, understanding their costs, and understanding how to grow the business. The only way they've kept afloat is through divesting their unregulated side (which was an unmitigated disaster), and cutting employees and their benefits. Unfortunately that doesn't help when their entire income is based upon PUC rate increases without backing and getting that sweet, sweet federal improvement money (hooray for Smart Grid projects!). Instead of doing things smarter, they do things dumber to bilk money out of the taxpayers and customers, and then decide that the only cost-cutting they'll do is by removing the people that are worth anything and replacing them with contractors. The PEOPLE are what make PPL great, or at least they did, before they replaced most of them with contractors. Unlike internal employees that had some sort of pride in the company they work for, and the community they serve, contractors do not care about the long-term viability of the company they serve--only about the next paycheck. PPL will probably be bought out by the PECOs and MetEds of the world within the next two to five years, and maybe management philosophies will change. Until then, however, I don't think the company is built to thrive--not anymore. Work-life balance doesn't exist. If you're management (i.e. non-union), you'll be expected to work your $50+ and like it--for the good of the company. They're a "put fires out and be the superhero" company, not the "make sure things are built so they don't suddenly burst into flames" kind of company. Everything a modern company shouldn't be.