Pros

Job security, empathetic superiors, and supportive co-workers within academic departments really do make it a nice place to work. After working in several academic depts, in several divisions, I found people were consistently realistic about a life-work balance, barring one division in particular (check Cons). Reasonable supplies/tools to get the job done (barring one division - check Cons), excellent staff support via the library system, hardworking talented IT division looking after everyone, good benefits/sick leave, moderately decent salaries.

Cons

Very little progression available, upwards, sideways... people tend to get pigeon-holed into exactly one job with little opportunity to train to move upwards out of that job. Any academic training is partially or fully on the staff member's shoulders, and they restrict the number of hours you can be out of the office (etc) if you want to attend lectures/labs. The Humanities Division is so strapped for cash you'd better not ask your HoD for a text book, a new computer, a new office chair... it gets ridiculous at times. Watch your stationery usage too, they panic over that. People are, as I said before, great about a work-life balance. Just not in Health Sciences. I found that for both academic and general staff the hours, especially unpaid hours, are terrible. You can be bullied into working 7 days a week, 12 hours a day, and they'll flippantly tell you to just "take time in lieu when we're not busy", and the depts are always busy (thanks to summer school, evening tests, etc). If you don't do those extra hours don't expect to get a good review each year - that'll affect any pay raises. You'll be labeled "unhelpful" and not progress through pay levels. I saw a lot of staff get caught out by that in their first year. They don't care if you have a new baby, a sick kid, a sick spouse, etc. Work comes first. Note that Humanities and Sciences seem less stern in this area. (I have no data on Commerce).