Corporate Benefits Department - Avoid like the plague
Pros
One can gain valuable work experience in a very tall organisational structure. High volume of data and work to do. Great for actuaries, accountants and math nerds.
Cons
This was the worst place that I have ever worked. It has an astronomically high Power Distance Ratio. In the Benefits Dept., workers get to see the 4-figure bonuses executives make (over 100k salary), whereas non-exempt employees basically got zilch. Middle management was very very derisive towards 'inferiors'. Employees had feuds lasting for years and refused to speak to one another outside of required interaction/meetings. Lower- echelon workers were expected to be slaves. I even heard a well-paid attorney say in front of the VP of benefit's administrative assistant: ".... your grossly underpaid assistant." And the evp said nothing. It made me want to wretch. There was much strife, so much, in fact that they brought in an external consultant to help sort out the lack of 'esprit de coeur'. As other reviews have stated, drawbacks include an entrenched 'old boys' club', no opportunity to put your hand to diverse tasks, extremely uneven compensation. Working there you are just a number. No professional development.
