Manpower Reviews

Current Employee – been working at Manpower as a contractor for more than a year

Pros – offers great benefits for a temp agency.

Cons – limited growth opportunities and other resources.

Advice to Senior Management – build a rapport with your employees.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at Manpower

Pros – They pay a very good hourly rate for unskilled work. A rate which most of their "employees" would not be able to earn otherwise. If you keep your mouth shut, your eyes and ears open, know your job inside out and don't take time off you will be ok. There are some nice people there and you will make good friends with people from all over the world. It can be good as a temporary place while studying or waiting for a better job.

Cons – Working on the assembly line. Each job takes less than a minute and you repeat this over and over all day long, sometimes for 13 hours. The work is physically painful, uncomfortable and stressful. If you want the toilet you have to ask like a child and they might say no or ask you what you will do in the toilet so they can work out how long you will be. You will have trouble completing your process in the required time but will be shouted at and bullied for any mistakes or failures. Certain people stroll round doing nothing while others are near exhaustion. Lots of back stabbing and squabbling. Wages are often "miscalculated" (but only in their favour) and you have to fight and argue very actively to get them corrected. Lots of unnecessary rudeness and unpleasentness. You won't be given the correct attire (whch is part of your contract) but will be shouted at for not being dressed properly. The place is run on intimidation and fear and there is a lot of bullying. They can get rid of you any time they want and they use that against you every day. Breaks are much needed but few and far between and you may have to walk a distance to your rest area, then you have to que for everything toilet, wash basin, drink, microwave, canteen... by the time you sit down it's time to go back to work. They come down on you very hard for taking time off and always question it. The union is corrupt and not worth joining. They just act as a message service for management which the employees fund, do not join. Too many bad things to say about this place and it is always getting worse because they are always looking for ways to reduce costs and increase production.

Advice to Senior Management – You have a responsibility to your workforce and to the community you operate in. You do not fulfill that responsibility. I would gladly tell companies like BMW to get out of the country and we will find something else to do. Any time BMW feel like it they threaten to upsticks and leave so I say go and be done with it, you wouldn't get away with this behaviour in Germany.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Manpower full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – At Manpower, you had to assume many different responsibilities. Because of this, I was able to learn about P/L, recruiting, as well as sales, human resources, and reporting. I valued my experience and would recommend it to any graduate looking for a versatile role.

Cons – Limited growth opportunity depending on manager.

Advice to Senior Management – Wonderful company with a great team overall. I would advise that line managers keep the wishes of their employees in mind when considering growth opportunities.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Manpower full-time

Pros – Manpower prides itself on innovative ways of matching candidates and clients to make the perfect fit. They provide training and constant check ins to their candidates and maintain a strong leadership in today's recruiting world.

Cons – I have not come across anything negative with this company.

Advice to Senior Management – Continue doing what has made this company such an amazing company to work for.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at Manpower full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Vacation and benefits are good.
Good for a person just out of college or looking to change their career path.

Cons – 80's Management. Employees do not have a voice.

Manpower does not empower Middle Management. The philosophy is if you are a good employee you will be a good Manager which is completely different skill set. It is not uncommon for Managers to repeatedly fail to provide a performance review to their staff. The review process is completely subjective no shared goals or objectives across departments.

Upper Management is not in touch with the employees and with the retirement of Linda Pelej it is very much a boys club.

No reward for being innovative or creative. Very territorial atmosphere and with the continued layoffs the environment has become oppressive.

Advice to Senior Management – You have great hard working dedicated employees, ask them "If this were your company/office what is the one thing you would change?" then LISTEN to their feedback. Value their voice.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at Manpower full-time

Pros – 8-5 schedule, Relatively Easy Position, Good way to gain experience with recruiting and HR processes, Good way to create contacts with other businesses.

Cons – Sales calls, training is a joke, disorganized, no room for growth, lack of sales training/guidance

Advice to Senior Management – Escape from the 1980's - Technology and practices are in desperate need of an update.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at Manpower full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – Some very good people to good with IF either they or you stick around for the long term. Pay seems to be higher than similar jobs.

Cons – No long term strategy for IT, the current phase is reduce and outsource what little is left from the last outsourcing. No cohesiveness or standards for anything globally, 83 separate fiefdoms, little to no cooperation between country IT organizations, everyone worried about protecting their piece of the pie.

Advice to Senior Management – Drop the catchy phrases and Industry Star stuff, no one is really sure what that means or how it will be obtained. Become a true Global company with standardization and some common systems rather than a federation of country entities.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Manpower as a contractor for less than a year

Pros – It was a paycheck. I like the work. fun.

Cons – No water on warm days. 90 degree factory which was secured by guards, no windows could be opened.

Advice to Senior Management – None

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at Manpower full-time for more than a year

Pros – Fortune 500 experience.
Vacation is great.
Benefits are decent.

Cons – Base pay is below standard. Commission structure is a moving target and does not create incentives for hunters.
Management is done from a spreadsheet.

Advice to Senior Management – Step away from your desk and get into the field. Reduce redundancy at the branch level. Get IT systems that are actually good.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Manpower full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – Decent base pay and system tools to complete the job.

Cons – Not being able to do your job without a few gorillas on your back. The sheriff is always in town and has the management skills of a flashlight cop.
There is no pride in quality of work but a race to put up arbitrary numbers. We must keep feeding the pipe of people to jobs in 48 hours or else heads will roll.

Advice to Senior Management – Let recruiters have a personality, pride, and better compensation.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend