Employment is not the same as working - IT Senior Manager PepsiCo Employee Review

4.0
11 Oct 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

+ Great pay and benefits + Generous vacations + Unlimited personal days off + 4 day work weeks year round + Promotions come automatically + Very light workload I started working at PepsiCo Chicago 22 years ago when we were Quaker Oats. I worked for about 5 years when I realized that my peers were not working and were being promoted. After speaking with them I learned the corporate way: 1) Create a role for yourself: e.g. requirements lead, test coordinator, construction manager, .... 2) Insure the role you choose does not require any tangible output. 3) As the contractors are motivated, let them do the work. Get details/status from them. 4) Document and present the work details/status. This has been working for over 15 years. I have been promoted 3 times. When PepsiCo purchased us I was concerned about change, but things are even easier now. Management is in Plano Texas and they know even less about what I do than did Quaker management. PepsiCo hires only contractors and no employees, so there is always someone to do the work, and our positions are not threatened. After 22 years I am ready to retire, but I'll stay around as long as I am being paid, and wait for my package. Hopefully the SAP migration will speed things up.

Cons

- No skill development. - No movement between departments / cities, can't move to a warmer climate. - Few motivational activities / programs

Explore other reviews about PepsiCo

5.0
14 Dec 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Flexible Great teams Competitive pay

Cons

New rules removing fully remote as an option

4.0
6 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Worked for PepsiCo for 10 years across four locations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Florida. Gained experience in multiple sales and operational roles while supporting account growth, merchandising, and customer relationships. Florida locations were especially well-operated and efficient. PepsiCo provided competitive pay, solid benefits through Keystone, and a good vacation package compared to competitors in the beverage industry. The company also offered strong sales incentive programs, earning rewards such as Orlando Magic floor seats, Pro Bowl tickets, Apple Watches, and Yeti cups for exceeding performance goals and driving sales results.

Cons

While PepsiCo promotes internal growth opportunities, many promotions and leadership opportunities appeared to favor college internship hires over long-term internal employees. In some cases, newer college-based management pushed corporate initiatives without fully understanding local market realities or account volume trends. For example, innovation products were sometimes forced into low-volume accounts where sell-through was unrealistic. Operationally, certain delivery processes could be improved, particularly with Tropicana products being stored in coolers on trucks for extended periods, which could impact product quality and increase waste. Work-life balance could also be challenging, as sales representatives commonly worked 50–60 hour weeks. Expectations from corporate leadership were often unrealistic, especially when customer representatives and drivers were expected to fully stock stores while servicing 15+ accounts per day. Experiences could also vary depending on whether locations were union or non-union operated.

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