Ball Corporation Employee Review

I have been working at Ball Corporation

Pros – Many people are long-term (career) employees. They know the company, they are committed to doing a good job, and they work hard. They care about the company and its successes. This is one of the few remaining places where many people work their entire careers.
Ball provides very good benefits for their employees. It emphasizes health and savings for the future. Health care options are reasonable and broad enough to accommodate different needs. Ball pays a significant part of the costs.
Ball still provides a pension plan in addition to 401(k), including match. There is no fixed number of sick days, and my experience is that people do not abuse this. After 5 consecutive days, short-term disability kicks in.

Cons – Long-term employment can engender the "we've always done it this way" mentality. Change is difficult.
Management deficiencies are not addressed in a timely manner. Departments founder while senior management looks the other way.
Growth by acquisition with no defined process for integration has made Ball a corporation of individual entities. There are no common processes, which causes inefficiencies and engenders errors. Each manufacturing plant works differently. None wants to change. There is no standardization, which means there is no common ground and no basis for comparison. Power plays abound.
Old school reigns. Technology is resisted. Attracting and retaining younger, motivated employees is a problem

Advice to Senior Management – Review HR exit interviews -scuttlebutt is they are stuck in a folder and never looked at. Ask HR about the feedback they're getting - and tell them you want the truth. Ask for information from line employees. Review departmental managements' claims. Dig into the details. Look at department trends - turnover, promotions, organization (regular reorganizing, levels of management, direct report numbers). Don't believe the spin.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend