Pros
Employees benefits from higher salaries and nice benefits that are typical in the Swiss financial services sector. It is an international company where you have the chance to work with people from all over the world. Career opportunities are abundant and it is relatively easy to move from position to position within the organization, even abroad when there is a good fit. There is a strong focus on performance management, career development and growth, but the employee has to take the lead to drive it. The work environment (e.g., colleagues, offices, locations) is nice. Colleagues and managers are competent in their field.
Cons
Zurich is a big, matrix company and decision-making and change comes slowly. Frequently, too many people have to approve or comment on initiatives before they can more forward. While awareness is good, it really slows down getting things done quickly. IT services are fair; many software applications which we must use are outdated (e.g., Office 2002, Microsoft Content Management System, Notes 6.5), thus leading to inefficiency. Getting the latest software to do your job well can be a challenge. Work-life balance can difficult. An employee really has to take charge and manage the situation, because your supervisor is frequently under pressure that gets passed on to you..
