Golden Handcuffs - Operator Dow Employee Review

2.0
29 Jun 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Fairly decent pay and medical health insurance plan. Annual raises, although they are pretty small, typically. On the job training.

Cons

No work/life balance; mandatory overtime and years spent on an overnight shift trying to make it to a daytime shift. Poorly executed performance reviews; completed by management personnel that have only talked to you a handful of times instead of people who actually work with you day-to-day. Strict policies regarding safety and harsh punishments, despite management not fully understaning them or how they pertain to our facility. Too much corporate bureaucracy that prevents anything from ever getting done. Those who do take an inovative initiative end up punished. Employees that utilize federally protected and/or company provided benefits end up on management's naughty list, which severely impacts chances for a promotion, raise or shift transfer.

Explore other reviews about Dow

5.0
16 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Culture and the technical expertise within the company provide for a working environment where you don't work in silo and everyone is willing to help support you

Cons

Administrative systems can be burdensome to overcome.

2.0
22 Mar 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Safety culture, flexibility (although less and less over time). Good health insurance and 401k match

Cons

Dow’s recent years illustrate the challenges of trying to simultaneously satisfy Wall Street’s demands for strong financial performance and aggressive DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) priorities. The company has heavily emphasized inclusion initiatives, including its openly gay CEO publicly sharing that coming out was one of the best days of his life in an internal communication, along with a notable increase in women appointed to senior leadership roles. Hiring practices reportedly require diverse candidate slates—including female candidates—and diverse interview panels before filling positions. These efforts, while well-intentioned, appear to have contributed to a series of questionable strategic decisions. Employees have borne the brunt through repeated rounds of layoffs (including significant cuts announced in recent years), minimal merit increases often in the 2-3% range, stalled promotions, and little turnover at the top levels of leadership. Senior executives seem insulated from the consequences, potentially overlooking how these factors—including their own leadership—may be central to the company’s ongoing struggles.

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