ENGINEERS: USE ALTEN AS A STEP UP, ANYONE ELSE: STAY AWAY - Recruitment ALTEN Employee Review

1.0
Jan 14, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They throw a nice Christmas party and also a fun annual staff getaway (which is not a huge pull in the current climate) Swanky office in the City (Not really a pull in the WFH situation) Free coffee Some great head office staff members

Cons

No transparency : in regards to the role, responsibilities, expectations or performance. Continuous movement of goal posts to suit their needs. No reasonable benefits such as a season ticket loan or any work from home arrangements. (Prior to the pandemic and probably will go back to normal once they return to offices) They make it seem like there are 24 days of holiday but in fact it is 20 days of statutory and 4 days reserved ONLY for the Christmas period. Consultants and even head office staff are discriminated against on age, citizenship and education. The ageism at the organisation is frankly appalling. First thing they like to do is figure out how old someone is by looking at the education on the CV. Salaries: Well below the market rate but will try to entice you in with a bonus which is great if you get it but "potential" bonuses do not pay the day to day bills. When the HR Manager resigns due to working culture during a mass redundancy process, I believe it highlights a fundamental issue within the organisation. Revolving door is a better word to describe this company because well, if anyone stays longer than a year or two, it is frankly a miracle.

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ALTEN Response
5y
Thank you for you review. We are striving to create a collaborative and inspiring environment for all our employees so I am sorry to hear you feel that way. As a growing company, receiving feedback is a priority in order to ensure a long lasting development and we will continue to find ways to improve. I would like to address a few of your specific points here. No transparency: on top of the description of the role and responsibilities from the recruitment process and during the induction, each recruiter is provided with a yearly target letter that defines the performance expectations. This letter can be reviewed once a year to best reflect the needs of the business. If the expectations are not clear, there is always the opportunity to discuss it one to one with your lie manager. No reasonable benefits: depending on what people consider as “reasonable”, Alten provides a private medical insurance, a pension scheme, a travel insurance, a maternity cover, a long-term sickness cover, a cycle to work scheme to name a few. Working from home was indeed not part of our practises before the pandemic, however we have now obviously implemented it and I am sure you will understand that it is not your place to speculate on what the company intends to do in the future on that topic. Holidays: in the UK it is perfectly legal (and common practise) for employers to request their employees to take holidays if and when their offices are closed. So we don’t make it “seem like” we offer 24 days of holidays, our employees actually do get 24 days of holidays. The number of days we request our employees to take over Christmas varies from one calendar year to the other. Discrimination: if you were the witness or victim of any form of discrimination, I invite you to contact our HR team immediately so that we can launch an investigation. These allegations are serious and we do not take them lightly. Working culture: speaking in the name of someone who left the company to speculate about the culture is not something that we can take seriously and answer to. If you have any specific comments on the working culture from your point of you, I’ll be more than happy to receive and consider them. Finally, we appreciate your advice to management but this, once again, cannot be taken seriously considering the lack of accuracy of your statements. To be very factual, today the people operating under a V.I.E contract are coming from different areas (France, Spain, Italy, Greece) and they represent less than 5% of our headcount. We actually pride ourselves in being a very multicultural organisation, having more than 35 different nationalities in the company. In a nutshell, I can see that most of these topics are the fruit of a lack of communication and misinformation about the company. I actually identify this as an improvement opportunity. Your review tells me that: although Alten is striving to make sure all necessary messages, processes and policies are communicated on the most accurate way, it seems important to keep on getting better at it. On the longer run, I would advise you to tackle any issue/frustration at its ignition so that it does not become disproportionate.

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5.0
Apr 3, 2026
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CEO approval
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Pros

Great Pay! People from France and Denmark are fun to work with. Learn about different cultures. Excellent place to learn new skills with different Software - Oracle Netsuite/OpenAire

Cons

Learning to read and understand some complex contracts to set up billing is interesting but achievable.

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5.0
Dec 3, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

Working at this company has been a truly positive experience for me. It’s a place where I’ve been able to learn and develop my skills, and I really appreciate that they invest in my growth by paying for my certifications. I’m also involved in special projects with high added value, which has had a strong impact on my career development. What makes the biggest difference for me is the way they support me as a mom. Having the option to work remotely when needed is extremely important, and it’s something we rarely find elsewhere. I’ve never felt judged for being a mother—quite the opposite. They understand my responsibilities at home while ensuring that the client is always satisfied. This balance means a lot to me, and it makes me feel valued both as an employee and as a person. Overall, I’m truly grateful to be part of a company that invests in my future, trusts me with meaningful work, and respects my personal needs.

Cons

Due to the global economic situation, salary increases and bonuses have been impacted.

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