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Barrick Goldstrike

Is this your company?

Good company, though heavily bureaucratic, with too much corporate micro-management - Mine Planning Engineer Barrick Goldstrike Employee Review

4.0
18 May 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good benefits, generally good job security. Was there as it progressed from a minor player to a powerhouse company, and saw a lot of positive improvements, and changes in my time there. Generally open to moving around from job to job, to get well rounded experiences. Improved safety over time, improved work schedule changes over time; however, a major driver for both was the negative aspects of injuries and fatalities for the safety side. And schedule changes due to subsequent manpower issues later that made them cave to demand, so not a total positive, other than it happened, but not due to internal desire for improvement in all cases.

Cons

Lack of advancement opportunities in some areas unless you're into the schmoozing, and bureaucratic brown-nosing. Too often I saw people from outside the company hired to fill upper positions, when lower individuals with the experience and skills were already present, and looking for advancement. I know of at least 4 instances in my time where the people brought in from outside were less experienced, or less knowledgeable than the individuals they were supposed to supervise, and the underlings had to train the supervisors to do their jobs. Some of those people brought in then did no work, little work, or bad work, and left, leaving the underlings to clean up, and get passed over again for yet another outside person to take over. Sometimes it worked out, but sometimes it didn't. There is also a lot of Corporate oversight, and micromanagement. Many driving targets dictated by corporate "you will budget for this, and you will do this" even if infrastructure, manpower, equipment etc isn't available. Dictates of target tons, grade, ounces, no matter what the ore body can support, or evidence of same in the modeling. Created a lot of additional stress, trying to "make the magic happen" and save the bottom line for other projects within the company.

Explore other reviews about Barrick Goldstrike

5.0
15 Aug 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Professional people - a company with a heart

Cons

There were very long days!

3.0
20 Feb 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great opportunity to expand your skills and knowledge. With two processing plants, two open pit and one underground mine; this is a very large site with varied equipment and needs. The management team is capable of good decisions, is supportive of maintenance and engineering efforts.

Cons

The gold industry is struggling through a tough downturn in prices. Barrick is saddled with a large debt from over spending during the last high gold prices. This has put many projects out for several years and limits the future of mine operations. The corporate management has been replaced with individuals primarily from the financial field. This is a good thing for the company from a financial aspect; but the vision for the future of mining has been removed, I am not sure how this will impact the company in 5 years.

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