Capgemini

Great opportunities and variance of work if you're willing to ask and work for it.

Good initiatives to improve things, but few actually improve. Feedback, while statistically looking good ("did 6 management check-ins to connect with the people"), shows the people aren't really connected to anything other than "hi, you ok? bye" smiling execs.

Extreme levels of knowledge in some pockets; plenty to learn.

Recommended for entry-level folks looking for great opportunities.

Tech innovation is increasing. Plenty of courses and exciting things happening.

Pay quickly falls behind market rates. Promotions knock pay off, so over time one will end up doing a senior role and being paid much less than an external recruit into the same job.

The pay plan process, whereby pay is meant to be looked at by independent bodies, is "tick-boxed" by having a very wide range of pay, with people typically floating in a "thick middle bog." To get up the pay grade, you end up having to stay for 10 years, but by then inflation has overtaken you.

It's common knowledge people have to leave to get their pay corrected, which is awful for Capgemini, as they are losing valuable, strong future leaders whilst retaining mediocrity.

Need to decide whether to be a leader of the future or a "global jack of all trades" with lots of people in India who can do stuff cheaply.

Most new joiners leave after a few years, taking away energy. Backfilled people take the energy of those who remain, repeating every 2-3 years.

Promotions are painful. Even after doing a higher-graded job for many months, there's still plenty of red tape to choke on.

Plenty of micromanagers at senior levels with extremely low levels of people/leadership skills. The same people keep being given people leadership roles after making their subordinates' lives hell. This is not addressed centrally, as each BU has its own HR process/calibration tree.

Can't use HR to complain, as the person you are complaining about will be in your calibration or their mates will be, so it's career suicide, leaving you silenced and powerless.

Too many people with their "foot off the pedal" and getting 3 ratings for mediocrity. High performers are "auto box 3s" if they get a mid-year promotion or change area. So, in most cases, they take their foot off the gas as the person next to them is practically snoring and getting the same pay performance rating.

Many pockets of the same old faces, rotating and creating their old teams again. Making teams of people around you gives great 360 feedback if you are part of the crew. If you are not, you will get fewer opportunities, which means less pay/progression.

Far too many ex-civil service folks in "Cap" clothing waiting for retirement with self-belief issues, leading to micromanagers and "cover my own backers." They are too expensive to get rid of, so this creates a flawed performance management system.

Typically, time in role is valued more than ability.

Need to be more like Accenture and cut some of the dead wood that haven't done their bit for years. With the size of the company, it's so easy to hide and do nothing.

Cut out the mediocrity (exit for people not pulling their weight and cruising) by thinking of the long game. It will cost now, but it will stop people leaving, allowing you to grow the organization in a way that is fit for 2017.

Be firm (very firm) on employee morale by pinpointing leadership issues and resolving them or taking said people out of leadership roles. Just because someone is senior graded doesn't mean they are fit to lead. Pyramids don't work with techies or people who have been here longer than the building.

Pay should at least track inflation and reward key people with more financial incentives, not just one-off Christmas bonuses but salary increases that at least match market rates.

Equip your people with kit and tooling you wish to sell to clients, not stuff that stops your people being productive and makes doing work difficult.

The holy grail of middle managers are blocking advancement. A thick layer of lifers is clogging up the organization with frail egos.