West Bend Insurance Company reviews

There probably isn't enough space allowed in these reviews to list it all. As other reviews have noted, WB "used" to be a great place to work, 5 years ago. Not any more. Don't fall for all the fluff you might hear about them being nominated or selected as a Great Place to Work for either Insurance, Industry or Milwaukee. Employees are "strongly encouraged" to fill those surveys out. The last 5 years I was employed there, I saw close to 100 folks leave, just in IT alone. This was from a staff high of less than 200. It wasn't because the economy improved or they got a job closer to home or better pay. They left primarily because they couldn't stand the ridiculous environment that IT had become. The pay and benefits was adequate but not outstanding. And this was more because there was a lack of candidates that reside in the area and more as a reason to try to attract talent to drive up to West Bend. Really, do you want to go to a place and spend 8-11 hours every day wondering if that day is going to be your last? I spent almost 6 months feeling like that. Do you like having monthly "performance reviews" where you're told you're under skilled, overpaid and under-worked? And all the while told that your annual bonus won't be affected but then announced that you won't be getting one due to your performance reviews? Oh and just sign off on it, everyone does..... Do you want to work for a boss that claims to have "years and years of experience in development" and then when you try to discuss challenges and issues with the software she gives you a blank stare with glazed over eyes? This is the type of supervisor/management team that exists in IT. I run into current and former employees on a regular basis and the running joke is, "so who left this week and who's crazy enough to still be staying there"?.....

I had to laugh when I read the other reviews. No one is going to do anything with them anyway, but may as well get my frustrations out. If you have a mind and can make a decision the IT organization and EPMO are not for you. Young, insecure "yes man" middle management. You NEVER see upper management and the incompetent middle managers mock them and brag about being able to deceive them. Senior management sits in another building and buries their heads while 1/3 of their workforce leaves each year. Unless you are over the age of 50 and can't get another job. The entire day is spent pointing fingers and pushing personal agendas. They go after people until they fire them or get them to quit. No one can be trusted- peers tattle on each other in hopes of getting on managements good side. Project Managers are secretary's and offer little to no value. Don't waste your breath on a fresh idea or your manager will feel threatened and you will not get your bonus and the witch hunt will begin. Managers read your emails, call your phone daily to make sure that you change your voice mail message everyday, monitor your hours and bust you for being a minute late, watch who you take breaks with, talk to, etc. They are major control freaks who regularly tell you that you are "replaceable" and back stab people. If you didn't grow up in West Bend and aren't related to someone else there, you are not welcome, that message is loud and clear. People are demoted all of the time, people who act unethically are promoted, while those who report them are demoted. If you enjoy the thought or working in a typing pool where you have no say and you are punished for feedback and contributing ideas, then this is the place for you! Do you want to stay in the same job for the rest of your life while incapable people around you get promoted because they grew up in West Bend or are related to one of the managers? Send us your updated resume. If you enjoy sleepless nights wondering if tomorrow is the day that you get walked out the door, then absolutely apply. Do you like cancelled vacations and being told that you can't take vacation for 6-8 months out of the year- while middle and senior managers take off, then send your resume right in! Do you not want to see your family during waking hours, except maybe on Sundays? Call HR right away! I can't say enough bad things about this place- right down to their "anonymous" surveys where they call employees into a room to "fix there way of thinking" and ask them to resubmit if anything negative is said. There is so much infighting among the three business units and nothing gets accomplished.