Great life balance, but don't expect to get promoted or get anything done - Product Manager Elsevier Employee Review

3.0
2 Nov 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Colleagues are great, and the culture is very pleasant.

Cons

In my 7+ years there were 4 senior management and 3 middle management changes, and exactly ZERO new products launched. Some large (cost in the millions) products went all the way to beta, but finally senior management decided that it's too risky, and they cancel them. As stated by others, middle management is rarely qualified, and often hired from outside, with zero knowledge of what's going on. Overall it's a very top heavy company with VPs with 4 or 5 reports, often directors with no report themselves. And of course when cuts are done, they are done mostly with people with lower titles. The company lives off their cash cow produdcts, but has zero interest in innovating, or doing anything different.

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5.0
11 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Industry leader Great benefits Incentive trips Invests heavily in its employees

Cons

Processes can be burdensome and clunky at times

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Elsevier Response
3w
Thank you for this balanced and thoughtful review. We're glad to hear that our benefits and investment in people are making a positive impact, those are commitments we take seriously. On the process feedback: Leadership is actively reviewing operational workflows, and the advice to listen more closely to employee feedback is something we're holding ourselves accountable to. If you're open to it, we'd encourage you to bring specific examples forward through your team or people and culture contacts. Change is most effective when it's grounded in the real experiences of the people doing the work, and that means you. Feel free to reach out to us at elseviergdrev@elsevier.com to provide more information Thank you for staying engaged and for caring enough to share this. It matters.
4.0
9 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Every direct manager I've had has been excellent: supportive, positive, and trusting me to deliver good work instead of micromanaging. Employees tend to stay, which suggests stability even if not everyone gets promotions or significant raises.

Cons

The pressure to outsource as much as possible, which is common at every publisher, leads to frustration. Because promotions or significant raises seem to be rare, you may be stuck in neutral unless you're very openly ambitious.

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