Reed Elsevier Group Reviews

Current Employee – been working at Reed Elsevier Group

Pros – The company has a big footprint in many markets and is moving toward some new and exciting technologies/products. It is trying to promote cross fertilisation across its many businesses so there is often an opportunity to work in a completely new field if it is of interest to you. Also, the overall work/life balance is strong.

Cons – The corporate functions are generally quite removed from the day-to-day activities of the many businesses it owns. This means that it often acts more like an investment management firm rather than a head of a unified company. The CEO is very distant and culture/leadership from the top is not strong.

Advice to Senior Management – Work to better integrate the group, creating an environment where corp managers are eager to engage you and offer innovative ideas. This will also increase communication, making it less necessary for us to provide you with the great amount of data you require which burdens the businesses more than previous CEOs.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Reed Elsevier Group

Pros – Salary was OK if you worked overtime. Team I worked in was good and we were able to attend some training.

Cons – Bad decisions and complete lack of communication from senior management. So poor that the directors outsourced devisions to an Indian company. No thought of employee welfare what so ever.

Advice to Senior Management – N/A

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Reed Elsevier Group

Pros – work life balance is extremely good in my area anyway, my managers are very approachable, the company is relatively well resourced.

Cons – hard to get anything done, some of the people in my area are quite cliquey and hard to get to know, I'm on a maternity contract and there is therefore little job security. I also don't really know if the job is as challenging or as interesting as initially "sold" in the interview.

Advice to Senior Management – I'm quite happy with the way things are run by management. Most of the managers I have worked with are quite approachable and easygoing, although I do find it hard to get clear, consistent answers at times.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Reed Elsevier Group

Pros – - Great mission and contribution to society
- Talented management
- Strong financial results allowing for good compensations
- Very good employee atmosphere

Cons – - Not yet as innovative as we would like it to be
- Not changing as fast as we would like
- You need to find your own opportunities to progress

Advice to Senior Management – The company needs more bold changes
We need to invest more in technology
We need to become more knowledgeable about our customers

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Reed Elsevier Group full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Very old, stable, multinational, science, technology, and medicine publishing company that offers excellent benefits and steady employment.

Cons – Leadership is not very independent minded and tends to get caught up in trends that cause employee frustrations.

Advice to Senior Management – Add more women to senior management and stop being so Dutch.

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

Current Employee – been working at Reed Elsevier Group full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Good benefits and some perks

Cons – Management that is so out of touch with reality and more important, it's employees. People stay for their paycheck and lack of options.
Constant daily changes with no regard of what employees already do, and they never consult those who do the job to see if even feasible.
Lower level employees are held accountable for all management decisions. Management is never held accountable.
If you disagree you're fired.
No internal advancement, they only load up staff with no opinion staffers.
No women to upper management. Men rule at all levels.

Advice to Senior Management – Wake up! Morale is in the toilet and after all these years I repairable. Don't know anyone, and I've been here 10+ years likes where they work, or would ever speak up because of daily fear drilled into us.
I'd say listen to your employees....but trust factor left long ago, as was respect.
Practice your own company values!

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 Reed Elsevier Group full-time for more than 8 years

Pros – The people are dedicated and committed to excellence
The bonus packages and pension plans are good, better than many of my friend's packages who work for different companies
Diverse businesses present unique advancement opportunities

Cons – Poor communication lends itself to an atmosphere where rumors are rampant
Difficult to break into executive management internally
Lack of cohesiveness across affiliates

Advice to Senior Management – Do more to bring affiliates together to share learnings and best practices.
Periodically share corporate strategy and vision to ensure the employees on the front line have a clear idea of where we're going at a corporate level and not just within their divisions.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Reed Elsevier Group full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – The culture was stable and secure.

Cons – The company did not stir innovation.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Reed Elsevier Group full-time for more than a year

Pros – European owned company - 37.5 hr work week! Good balance work/life balance....you aren't working crazy hours which can be a common expectation in the marketing field at other companies. Learning opportunities are readily available in order to promote advancement in your career. Friendly people to work with.

Cons – The salaries are a bit low.

Advice to Senior Management – To keep good workers, salaries need to be a bit more competitive.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Reed Elsevier Group full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Great benefits, work/life balance. Advancement can happen if you play the politics right and are ambitious. Flexibility allows for internal job switching if an opportunity comes.

Cons – My personal experience was bad because I worked for the American publishing division which was eventually sold off. The division I worked for was in sale mode for nearly four years, and that meant very little investment in technology or business expansion. Overall, the senior management seemed directionless and inaccessible. There was little or no communication between the various divisions.