Definite strengths contrasted by factionalism - Anonymous employee Caterpillar Employee Review

3.0
Oct 15, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Strong company culture and adherence to values in action. Most managers supportive and willing to help you to succeed. Good annual goal setting and performance management process, though rather elaborate. Career planning is well structured, though evidence of it really working for an individual was lacking.

Cons

Career advancement very slow or non-existent outside of US. If you fit well in the Mid-Western working culture, are favored by those above you, work in the States, and are patient (for years), you'll get promotions. Otherwise it'll become a pass-through for many. Factional in terms of you needing to belong to an inner circle to get much anywhere. International assignments (ISE) are dominantly from US to overseas, very rarely an opportunity is given from overseas to US (or between overseas operations). "Not invented here" rules in the HQ. If an idea comes from Peoria, it's the best thing ever but if a genuinely better idea or practice exists elsewhere, it's easily played down or ignored. Improvements based on experience globally (outside of US) are an uphill battle.

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5.0
Jun 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great benefits Great WLB Great pay

Cons

Low mobility to move up within company

2.0
Apr 30, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You are treated with autonomy, dignity, and respect. It is assumed you know how to do your job and are given the trust and means to do so. Compensation is above market value. Uncapped professional growth if you know how to play your cards right.

Cons

Working at Burger King and living from my car in Northern Michigan during the middle of winter was preferable to working on-site in Peoria. Project work was inherently meaningless and dictated almost entirely by the caste system this company has in Central, IL. My relocation had absolutely nothing to do with the role at hand and was a power play by management to get me to become a bleed-yellow Peorian in the CAT-corporate social club. The company loyalty here is absolutely disgusting and has nothing to do with the viability of the brand or product. Everyone is enamored with the status and wealth they've attained on account of not performing hard, manual, life-threatening labor. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who actually cares about what goes on in the defense division or addressing the geopolitical anomalies between the former headquarters and the new business direction of the company.

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