Just like being back in High School: cliques, backstabbing, childish political games - Engineer Klein Tools Employee Review

1.0
8 Dec 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Industry respected products. Products mostly made in USA. Nice headquarters building. Pretty good health plan. Employee discounts on company tools.

Cons

Not well managed at any level. It is never about what you do or what you accomplish, it is all about who your friends are and who you are aligned with. Backstabbing and politics are rampant. Turnover is very high. They fire employees if someone in the "in crowd" decides they don't like someone, and when they do get rid of people, they try to fight unemployment claims. They even contract with some legal firm to try to prevent people they get rid of from collecting benefits.

Explore other reviews about Klein Tools

5.0
25 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great place to work! Company genuinely cares about their product, management is super kind.

Cons

Human Resources has no awareness of the business, oftentimes they come off arrogant when talking to employees.

1
1.0
11 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Little to none. Hardly anything positive about working at this company.

Cons

I wanted to give this company a fair chance before writing this review, but after my time here I feel obligated to be honest for anyone considering joining. Management is, at best, misleading. Expectations and commitments made during hiring and performance conversations rarely materialize, and when you seek clarity, you're met with dismissiveness rather than straight answers. It becomes clear very quickly that leadership says what's convenient, not what's true. The VP level is where the culture really breaks down. Favoritism is blatant and unashamed — certain employees are visibly protected and fast-tracked regardless of performance or merit, while others are consistently overlooked no matter how hard they work. It creates a demoralizing environment where people stop trying because they realize results don't drive recognition — relationships do. What's most frustrating is that management's priorities are completely transparent: their own bonus structures. Decisions are made through that lens first and foremost, with little to no regard for team development or employee wellbeing. Career growth? Don't count on it. There are no clear paths, no meaningful development conversations, and no investment in helping employees advance. If you're looking for a place to build your career, this is not it. I genuinely hope leadership takes a hard look at the culture they've built — talented people are leaving, and the ones who stay are disengaged. That's not a coincidence.

2
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