Pros
Flexible schedule, can sometimes work from home
Cons
I've been with Zones for some time now and have seen the ups and downs. I work as part of the group that supports one of the largest customers. They put on a really good front for customers but it's all smoke and mirrors. Things look highly organized from the outside, but when you actually get in, you'll regret it. Workers: Although most employees are hired on a temporary or contract basis, there is a lack of transparency as to how the employment works. In my experience, the people who work hard and who pick up the job quickly, keep their job. Turnover is also incredibly high. In a single year, I've watched a team completely turn over, all of which left on their own accord. Processes: For a company that touts selling the latest technology and solutions, we sure use a TON of paper. I think they kill a forest a day printing out paper work instructions and quality assurance documents. Management: Mid level management, like directors and management are incredibly unprofessional. Vaping (managers) is tolerated indoors, cursing is part of every sentence, insults behind the backs of workers and racial slurs are rampant. A project coordinator gets treated like dirt from her managers and she just accepts it as the norm and it's okay. I have heard another manager tell her to "get back in the kitchen and make him a sandwich." Not only is this a lack of respect for your employees, but it is sexual harassment. The level of micromanagement is like I've never seen before. Job descriptions are very vague. Anything goes wrong, they pin it on one person because they're somehow supposed to know they were supposed to notify some of the error or mistake. Salary and Benefits: I would never take a salaried position with this company again. I have had to put in 60+ hour weeks in addition, working weekends to accommodate deadlines. Nobody will care or say anything until you stop doing it and they realize things aren't getting done and want root cause analytics about why it didn't get done. Health insurance is nothing to write home about, but they do add $750 a year to help cover medical expenses in an HSA (which rolls over year to year). I have no complaints about my salary, only the number of hours often required to get the jobs done. If you're actually hired on full-time, be aware that you get NO vacation time for the entire first year of employment. Too many people are stretched too thin and at some point something has to give. I use my breaks and lunches to look for another job.
