Cengage

2.0

May 23, 2025

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

I joined Cengage at a great time upon a hyped product launch. It is sad to see what has become of the company and employee morale in the last 7 or so years, and I hope they can turn it around. Case in point, when I started working here, their Glassdoor rating was around 4.2 stars and is currently at 3.6. The good: I’ve been fortunate to work with amazing managers and teams for most of my time here, as well as the opportunity to grow and be creative in my role. In the beginning, there were ample opportunities for advancement, professional development, and team-building. Furthermore, the remote work aspect has been a major plus for productivity and work-life balance and continues to be a primary draw for many employees.

Cons

The bad: Leadership has made a series of short-sighted decisions over the years in an effort to survive a declining industry. There have been many significant rounds of layoffs combined with weak communication (although leadership likes to stress the importance of transparency, so I’m not sure where the disconnect is there). As of late this has had the opposite of the intended effect: profitable teams and processes are broken, and it takes longer to adjust and get going with new and confusing structures. People can’t come up for air long enough to even execute their work before there’s another layoff. Over the years, people have been forced to repeatedly absorb the roles of laid-off teammates for no additional pay. It has become clear that some of the more botched re-orgs were the result of a lack of proper research into our work and teams, and a couple of certain higher-ups continue to move through the ranks despite never seeming to get the organizational structure right throughout the years. The pay: We are told that compensation is measured against the industry to remain competitive, but that’s only the case when you look at direct competition. Within the edTech space as a whole, many roles here earn 25%+ less. In addition to the salaries, certain reimbursements or benefits for remote employees have been removed, vital software or work processes are taken away to cut costs, and there is less investment into people. When I started this was a great company to work for with extremely hard-working employees with amazing track records, only to be later rewarded with surprise layoffs almost every year. Upon realizing what Cengage really thinks of its employees, as well as the struggling industry as a whole (not that the company’s treatment of its employees is an excuse, but it's a factor), it’s impossible to ignore the slowly sinking ship. The best aspect, currently, is the remote work flexibility. However, since many companies are offering this now, I’m not sure it’s quite the competitive advantage it used to be.

Cengage Response

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Your reflections on the early days at Cengage—when there was strong momentum, a sense of purpose and opportunities for growth—speak to the kind of culture we have worked to build and aspire to sustain. I recognize that the past several years have brought considerable change – both to our industry and as a result, our company – and that this has affected how many employees experience their work. The decisions we have made—particularly those involving restructuring and resource allocation—have been driven by the need to adapt to a rapidly evolving industry and to position the company for long-term success. You have raised important points about communication, compensation, and organizational clarity. These are areas where we continue to focus our efforts. We are actively reviewing how we communicate during times of transition to ensure that our actions align with our stated values, while also striking the right balance between transparency and providing employees with the clarity and stability they need to stay focused on their work. We continue to benchmark compensation against direct industry peers, but we recognize that expectations are evolving across the broader EdTech landscape. We are evaluating how our total rewards strategy can better reflect both market realities and the value our employees bring to the organization. In parallel, we are working to strengthen internal structures so that teams are empowered to operate with greater clarity and impact. I appreciate the thoughtfulness of your feedback and the contributions you have made during your time at Cengage. We are committed to learning from the past and to making the changes necessary to support both our people and our mission moving forward. —Michael Hansen, CEO

Used to be great and I hope they can turn it around - Anonymous employee Cengage Employee Review

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