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Burns & Wilcox Reviews
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    Burns & Wilcox Reviews

    Updated 19 February, 2019
    131 reviews

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    3.1
    StarStarStarStarStar
    Rating TrendsRating Trends
    Recommend to a friend
    Approve of CEO
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    Alan Jay Kaufman
    86 Ratings

    Employee Reviews

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    Pros

    • "Great co- workers but not a great culture" (in 4 reviews)

    • "We have a great work environment and we all work as a team" (in 6 reviews)

    Cons

    • "Work/life balance is encouraged verbally, but then countered by a culture of having everything done before you go home" (in 9 reviews)

    • "Cannot work from home although everything is done via computer" (in 6 reviews)

    More Pros and Cons
    1. Featured Review

      Helpful (1)

      "Broker Assistant"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Broker Assistant
      Current Employee - Broker Assistant
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at Burns & Wilcox full-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      Access to a lot of carriers, great client relationships, and positive working environment.

      Cons

      It takes a long time and a lot of training to really learn the business but can be pretty lucrative if you stick with it.

      Advice to Management

      Still some kinks to work out with the overall parent company culture. Invest more time and money into your employees than into your corporate sponsorships. Follow up with branch level managers to ensure they are progressing their employees and giving everyone a chance to be promoted.

    2. Helpful (2)

      "Great Place to Work for Driven & Ambitious Folks"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      Pros

      The sky is limit if you work hard and aren't afraid to go out of your way to own your own career progression.

      Cons

      Don't expect hand holding or spoonfeeding. This culture is best for proactive and driven employees.

      3. Join the Burns & Wilcox team
      See Our Latest Jobs

    3. Helpful (7)

      "RUN!! RUN AWAY FAST!!!!!!!"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Neutral Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I worked at Burns & Wilcox full-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      Salary
       (they only do it because they think it will motivate people to stay with them and they think it gives them
      the right to treat their employees terribly- beware of wolves in sheeps clothing)

      Cons

      Management practice and encourage classic bullying techniques
       - gas lighting
       - mobbing
       - isolation
       - intimidation
      - humiliation

      Upper management had no empathy for employees issues - only interested in the almighty dollar

      Advice to Management

      Leader lead by example
      Bosses bully people into getting what they want
      'nuff said!

    4. Helpful (2)

      "Mixed Basket"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Office Assistant in Toronto, ON
      Former Employee - Office Assistant in Toronto, ON
      Doesn't Recommend
      Neutral Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I worked at Burns & Wilcox (Less than a year)

      Pros

      Open-minded to change, mostly younger staff. Can listen to personal music when at desk. Upper management recognizes work of front-line staff

      Cons

      In need of cultural diversity training, upper front-line staff and Mangers take advantage of positions. Staff takes dress code too lightly. Lack of diverse hiring.

    5. Helpful (5)

      "Not a great place to work"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee in Toronto, ON
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee in Toronto, ON
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook

      I worked at Burns & Wilcox (More than a year)

      Pros

      Young people. Location downtown. Not much else.

      Cons

      Management makes you memorize and tests you on office location and senior management during meetings (who does that?). Think of the worst company to work for. Even if you are young and need a job, pass up on this and keep looking.

      Advice to Management

      No more lies.

    6. Helpful (5)

      "Stay Away"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Neutral Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      Pros

      If you are an assistant its a good place to gain some knowledge. 2 years is your max!!!!
      For U/W Producers there is an opportunity to make good bonus payments... Not much else, I am afraid

      Cons

      Remember Kindergarden? They speak to team, but its all about a few individuals at the end of the day. It's all about numbers and not about people. American style does not work here!

      Advice to Management

      Get someone who knows how to manage running the place. This is a sales organization. Stop running it on numbers and start running it on relationships. That was everyone has an opportunity.

    7. Helpful (12)

      "Terrible work environment"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee in Toronto, ON
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee in Toronto, ON
      Doesn't Recommend
      Disapproves of CEO

      Pros

      Lots of the people - particularly the assistant underwriters - are very nice and good to work with. It can be fun if you're young because there are tons of people in their 20s. You can get promoted to underwriter from assistant underwriter relatively quickly if you are competent and stick with it, although the main reason that promotions are available is due to the high turnover.

      Cons

      Below the industry average in pay, time off, and benefits. More hours than is standard - you have to work 8:30-5:30, no flexibility. You don't technically get coffee breaks - most people take them but there are some more senior employees that tell management when they see assistants taking breaks.

      The company tries to foster competition between employees by displaying everyone's numbers at meetings. This creates a very negative work environment.

      There is a general feeling of frustration toward management, which refuses to listen to the concerns of employees. Management is very rigid and unwilling to make necessary changes to adapt to Canadian work environment. Turnover is incredibly high and it's very easy to see why.

      Other companies do not tend to hold experience at Burns & Wilcox in very high regard so many people, upon leaving, have to take a slight demotion.

      Advice to Management

      Listen to your employees. Match other companies in hours, time off, flexibility, pay, and benefits. Stop trying to set your employees at each other.

    8. "A"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Positive Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      Pros

      Good people to work with.

      Cons

      Terrible benefits. Too many American values and very money driven over people.

    9. Helpful (1)

      "Unprofessional Work Environment"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I have been working at Burns & Wilcox full-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      Great place to get training. Many of the people who work there are very nice and helpful. The office is usually pretty clean.

      Cons

      The company tends to focus on frivolities and less on retaining good employees. Many people have quit because of the unprofessional and abusive behaviour of a few employees, who are protected and promoted by weak-willed management.

      Advice to Management

      Treat your employees professionally and respectfully to earn their loyalty. When you do this, you won't have to wonder why people are leaving.

    10. Helpful (3)

      "Stay Away"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I worked at Burns & Wilcox (More than a year)

      Pros

      Salary

      This is the only positive item I can appropriately discuss in this section. There really aren't any pros of working here.

      Cons

      - Management
      - Work Life Balance
      - Lack of Products, not competitive

      I haven't worked for someone where many of my colleagues would bash management and talk about how unhappy they are.