Caterpillar Stable, Enduring, but Cyclical - Research Analyst Caterpillar Employee Review

4.0
23 Oct 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Very stable, steady company, with an inexorable will to compete. Their stated goal is to be #1 or #2 in every market in which they compete, worldwide. They have a deep and wide knowledge base in engineering, manufacturing, and IT. They are currently implementing autonomous vehicles and a worldwide vehicular network. They give generous incentive bonuses, from 7% to 20% or more of your annual salary. They have a strong, published corporate values which require every employee to be more ethical than the law requires, avoiding even the appearance of impropriety. They enforce these values and annually encourage employees to report anyone who violates them. Employees are reprimanded and fired every year for violations. Annual turnover is very low, less than 5%.

Cons

The management decision process moves slowly, through 7 layers of management. The hiring process takes 1-3 months. It took 2 months for me in 1988 and 3 months for my daughter who was just hired as an electrical engineer in 2015. Their business is cyclical and during downturns, like the current one, both management and hourly workers can be laid off.

Explore other reviews about Caterpillar

5.0
7 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great benefits Great WLB Great pay

Cons

Low mobility to move up within company

2.0
10 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good health insurance and benefits, good yearly bonuses. The pay is good.

Cons

They are enforcing returning to office by any means necessary. They have lost many high-quality producers who have refused to relocate or refuse to come in. Here's the kicker - they are requiring in-person attendance at the Chicago office and there aren't even enough desks for everyone. It would be a literal fire hazard if we all came into the Chicago office at the same time, M-F, during business hours. No one knows how or if they are going to actually enforce this. Cost of gas is insane, Joe doesn't care about the workers. Or the work for that matter. It's obvious this is a soft layoff, they have made a bunch of people quit. Their internal design agency is falling apart, lots of people have quit, not only because of return to office but because of the toxic politics, favoritism, and lack of direction and accountability. Mediocre workers are allowed to keep their jobs ONLY because of their ability to put their bodies in a chair and work in-person. The other relocation option HR gave besides Chicago was Peoria. No one wants to live in Peoria for any reason whatsoever, be for real.

2
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