Process Heavy, Leadership Light - Product Manager Eastman Employee Review

2.0
May 12, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Brand new headquarter building is nice. A pro for the rest of the hiring economy is the exodus of talent from the company. Some people like Kingsport...it's close to the mountains and the climate is nice...but, if you want any culture, music, theater, entertainment beyond an OK movie theater, or cuisine that isn't fast food this is not your place. The city school system in Kingsport is very good. There are a lot of AP classes offered at Dobyns-Bennett High School. There is a lot of pride in the schools to prepare the students.

Cons

This is a company full of managers and hardly any leaders. They are process HEAVY and the hierarchical power is nauseating. Apparently, if you are knighted with a "director" title you are also transferred infallible knowledge. There is fear and avoidance of anything that might look to come across as conflict...diversity of thought need not apply. 8 years or so on the journey to becoming a specialty chemical company, and they are still on the journey to become a specialty chemical company. Their plan is to govern the masses with massive pre-defined processes with little room for creativity or individual and unique, talent demonstration. Why is a specialty chemical company hurt so bad with the current trade dispute between the US and China? A true specialty chemical company should be largely immune... And, when the going gets tough, the VPs spend two days to come up with the awe-inspiring plan, "Make better decisions faster." Wow...

Explore other reviews about Eastman

5.0
Jun 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

High pay and good learning environment

Cons

Interview process is kind of difficult

4.0
Jun 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Friendly, helpful colleagues. Vast variety of opportunities for engineers, especially younger ones. Actively supporting the communities where we live and work. Recent changes in management have restored positive outlook.

Cons

A lot of eggs are in the circular-economy basket rather than having the risk more evenly distributed among our product streams. We've lost a lot of talent recently to other businesses, partly because of unhappiness with former management but partly because of pay. Annual pay increases exist but have not even come close to keeping up with inflation.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All