Lacks Leadership - Anonymous employee AARP Employee Review

3.0
Mar 29, 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good benefits. If you have to go into the HQ office, good location and nice office. Have a lot of money so have the opportunity to innovate with technology and engagement approaches. Some pockets of very talented people.

Cons

During my tenure, I encountered many challenges that regrettably, make it difficult for me to recommend it as a good place to work. My experience was marked by toxic management, a lack of clear direction from leadership, insufficient communication, and an overwhelming sense that employee well-being and professional growth were not priorities. In many pockets of the company, the culture was not conducive to professional growth or personal well-being. Leadership fostered a culture of unhealthy competition, secrecy and self-preservation rather than collaboration and team success. While every organization has its flaws, the issues at this company run deep, affecting its core operations and, most importantly, its people. For anyone considering employment here, I urge you to weigh these considerations carefully.

Explore other reviews about AARP

5.0
May 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

great benefits even for interns like free lunch, reimbursed parking, hybrid work. good opportunities to network, hone your skills, and potentially get a permanent role within the organization.

Cons

long onboarding. lots of hr training.

2.0
Apr 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

benefits are strong - pension, vacation, sick, caregiving work life balance is generally good

Cons

AARP suffers from a serious toxic work culture, particularly in the IT and Digital Transformation departments. Leadership is atrocious. People leading the 2 key technology functions for the business are incompetent and ego maniacs. Both departments are extremely toxic with burned out employees and contractors. Money gets wasted in the extreme due to these factors. Constant signal switching on projects and priorities. Everyone you work with is unhappy. Bullying and retaliation are common. Avoid these departments in particular, but the whole organization is top heavy, with terrible leadership all around. Still there are some great and talented people, but it's not the norm, and senior leadership is wrought with incompetence and arrogance. The organization flails around endlessly, and blows money with no discipline or rigor to their work and methods. Think someone is juicing the Glassdoor numbers with people saying the place is great. No opportunity for growth. The organization tries to do good work, and does in many ways, but it's so poorly run that it severely hampers its potential.

4
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