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Burns & Wilcox Reviews
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    Burns & Wilcox Reviews

    Updated 24 May, 2018
    109 reviews

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    Full-timePart-time
    3.1
    StarStarStarStarStar
    Rating TrendsRating Trends
    Recommend to a friend
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    Alan Jay Kaufman
    75 Ratings

    109 Employee Reviews

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    Pros

    • great office good people in technical areas (in 5 reviews)

    • We have a great work environment and we all work as a team (in 5 reviews)

    Cons

    • Work/life balance is encouraged verbally, but then countered by a culture of having everything done before you go home (in 8 reviews)

    • Cannot work from home although everything is done via computer (in 5 reviews)

    More Pros and Cons

    1. "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.

    2. Helpful (4)

      "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!

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

    3. "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.

    4. Helpful (4)

      "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.

    5. Helpful (2)

      "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.

    6. Helpful (10)

      "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.

    7. "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.

    8. 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.

    9. 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.

    10. "Great Potential, But Comes Up Short"

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

      I worked at Burns & Wilcox full-time

      Pros

      Casual dress except when ceo is in town
      Window seat if your an underwriter
      Keurig coffee machine
      Free parking
      Health Insurance
      Mostly nice co-workers
      Near the ballpark, season tickets to rangers games
      Golf outings and great branding with a corporate sponsored golfer
      Paid time off/vacation
      Not a high pressure sales environment

      Cons

      Micro-managing
      Dated management system
      Uncompetitive salary
      Uncompetitive and convoluted bonus plan
      Kitchen duty
      Un-covered parking
      Expensive health insurance
      Traffic from rangers/cowboys games when your trying to leave the office
      Nepotism
      Corporate sponsored golfer is one of the highest paid individuals by the company
      Can’t use vacation during most of 4th quarter ie christmas and thanksgiving

      Advice to Management

      The insurance industry as well as the labor market has changed drastically over the years, but this company can’t keep up with the times. Their business model is failing while their competitors are pasing them by. Also, employees want a better work environment, pay that is competitive for the industry/job and a work environment that makes you want to come to work everyday. People dont generally choose to work, it’s a necessity, the high turnover shows that people are choosing to not work here. With the veteran employees retiring at a rapid pace and no young talent to replace, the future of the office is in jeopardy, maybe the whole company.

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