Pros
There is no denying that General Mills hires people that are, in general, great to work with. They tend to be incredibly smart, friendly, helpful and fun to be around. You can learn a lot from the very smart people working there. Traditionally their benefits have been solid, and even with the cut backs on benefits, they are still pretty good (who knows how far these will eventually be cut back though). If you are looking for a decent work life balance, this is probably a good company for you. It can be dependent on role/team, but in general, the expectation is not to work nights/weekends (this too seems to be changing a bit). General Mills also feels like a great company for expecting moms, and parents with young children. The training they provide can be hit or miss, but in general, you learn a lot about the industry and operating in a large CPG company.
Cons
- I don’t think the GMI leadership has embraced the change that is happening in the industry and the job force. It feels like their mistakes to adjust to the lower consumer demand for once popular brands have been compounded by more mistakes being made to patch up the bottom line problem. Innovation in how they think about their businesses, capabilities and processes just doesn’t seem to happen (even though they say it is). They seem to fail to notice or understand that consumers and customers are changing quickly, and instead of dedicating resources to adapt to or, heaven forbid, get ahead of the curve of those changes, they seem more concerned with the bottom line. - When I first started at GMI, it was a given that pay won’t be as high as other CPG firms (not to mention having to endure harsh Minnesota winters), but the culture, stability and people would make it worth sticking around. Decisions made by upper level management that have been misguided, executed poorly, or simply out of touch with the reality of the situation internally and externally have severely impacted the culture, stability and people. Change is happening in the industry, and how CPG companies adapt to those changes is going to determine where they land in the future. Which brings me back to my first point: How does a company attract and retain high value millennial talent by underpaying employees, reducing benefits, implementing massive layoffs, not effectively adapting to a changing industry, and not embracing innovative thinking? Maybe that mindset of “If they want to leave, good, then they weren’t loyal and we don’t want them” could have worked in the past when business was good, the culture was positive and industry change wasn’t what it is today, but now it just sounds like hubris. I have a lot of friends at GMI, and I honestly want the company to do well, but if General Mills lets great talent walk out the door at the rate they are, the much needed innovation of thought and process is likely going with them. At that point, you have to ask yourself if your next generation of managers are going to do any better than the current.