Mars reviews

Unfortunately, line management at Mars changes a lot and can be very varied - I had 3 line managers in my first 18 months. There are a lot of challenging line managers and even if multiple people complain, nothing is done. Fundamental flexible working is not great with multiple people being refused the option; if you are not in the right position, level or in with the right people, it won't happen. Whilst the benefits are great, base salary leaves a lot to be desired. Trying to get promoted in Mars is really difficult; it is even challenging to go horizontally. They put you in boxes through an annual leadership review and you get no real say in it. It is through this where they decide whether you are leadership potential or not. Trying to get things done is a nightmare - sometimes you have/want to be incredibly quick but the red tape and collaboration means that it is difficult to be quick. It can take months to do things that should only take a few days. Sometimes, you are close to the end and your project is deprioritised and all your work is wasted which is incredibly disengaging. Whilst there is a focus on engagement, it is about numbers and exercise - I think it use to mean something but it has lost its focus.

Leadership is unapproachable, unavailable and often unpredictable. Ego driven management team leads with a "what's-in-it-for-me/mine" mindset rather than focusing on what's best for the organization. In-fighting hurts growth, innovation and the culture. Tremendous amount of churn and change management is NOT a strength of current leadership. Mutuality is one of the Five Principles that Mars considers the foundation of their business model. Unfortunately, it's a myth as it relates to people and advancement. The wage gap between genders is disheartening.