A Difficult Environment for Professionals - Anonymous employee Empower Employee Review

2.0
20 Oct 2013
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Flex time in some areas, generally collegial fellow employees, onsite gym. Some security for low- and mid-level employees in jobs basic to the servicing of the central DC plan business. Not a bad place to work for people just looking for a paycheck.

Cons

Senior management is sub-par. GWF's business is both financial services and IT, and the people leading these areas are long past their "sell by" dates. The world is changing fast, and the senior team leading GWF seems stuck in another era. The IT they like to proclaim as leading edge is being held together by paper clips, and the financial products they roll out are poorly designed, because their Product area appears to have no idea how to conduct market research. This isn't surprising since the senior management in Product are all either actuaries or accountants. Turnover at the professional level is very high. Coming from an outside financial services company to GWF is tantamount to stepping through Alice's Looking Glass; you're hired for your experience and expertise, but then you're met with "that's not the way we do it."

Explore other reviews about Empower

5.0
18 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Empower fully supports work life balance. They also support and encourage community service. I like the fact that they match not only by monetary contributions, they also match actual volunteer hours with money. Management at all levels is committed and invested in you professionally and personally.

Cons

None that I have found.

5.0
11 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Many smart people genuinely want to grow & succeed; An excellent long term strategic vision backed by long term oriented investors; Ample growth opportunities at a business that is very well positioned for long term growth. Leaders that genuinely care about their people. Remote work is truly an advantage - just the lack of a commute makes a large difference. Opportunity to be at the ground level of a company that will develop a much stronger national brand over the next decade.

Cons

Delivery & Execution are areas that are truly challenging in the high growth/evolutionary environment that Empower is in today. Cultural changes are happening within the business that create some competing priorities, though Sr. Leaders continue to lead through this. Working with people across the US means don't expect a normal schedule - early / late starts and working lunches are the norm.

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