Elsevier reviews

4.0

79% would recommend to a friend

(2,181 total reviews)

Kumsal Bayazit

91% approve of CEO

76% positive business outlook

Elsevier has an employee rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars, based on 2,181 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Elsevier employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Audiovisual y medios de comunicación industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

2K reviews
2.0
May 12, 2026

Good benefits but weak leadership and accountability

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good benefits and can take time off whenever needed.

Cons

Weak leadership and accountability. Too top heavy and disconnected from their own teams, customers and users.

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Elsevier Response
2w
Thank you for your long-term commitment to Elsevier and for sharing your perspective candidly. We respect the experience behind this feedback. Eight or more years gives real insight into how an organisation operates over time, including where it falls short. The concerns you've raised around leadership visibility, accountability, and connection to teams and customers are themes we take seriously, and we won't dismiss them as isolated views. That said, we'd also gently note that leadership structure and decision-making are complex areas that are actively evolving, and we recognise that positive change can feel slower on the ground than it appears from above. That gap in perception is itself something leadership needs to own and address. We encourage you to bring this feedback into more direct conversations where it can be acted on, whether through leadership forums, HR channels, or team-level discussions. Reviews like this matter, but the most durable change happens through sustained dialogue. If you prefer, feel free to reach out to us at elseviergdrev@elsevier.com to provide more information. We appreciate your continued investment in the organisation.
3.0
May 12, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great legacy and reputation of content.

Cons

Limited career growth. Constant restructuring of teams and management each year for the past 4 years - exhausting while you work out how the new management wants you to report and manage your pipeline - inefficient and lots of duplication. Products pushed to market with limited internal consultation and limited market knowledge. Sales managers appointed who have never sold, formulated pricing or had any selling experience whatsoever - say no more.

avatar
Elsevier Response
2w
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and for your continued commitment to Elsevier over the past two years. We genuinely appreciate the kind words about our content legacy; it's something the whole organisation takes pride in. We also want to acknowledge your concerns directly, because they deserve a thoughtful response rather than a polished deflection. We recognise that change, even when strategically necessary, has a human cost that isn't always visible. On product development and go-to-market consultation, this is an area we are actively working to improve. Cross-functional input and closer alignment between product, sales, and market intelligence teams are something leadership is focused on, and feedback like yours helps reinforce why that work matters. Regarding sales leadership and career growth, we'd genuinely welcome the chance to understand your experience in more depth. If you're open to it, we encourage you to connect with your HR business partner or raise this through our internal feedback channels. These are conversations worth having properly, not through a public forum alone. If you prefer, feel free to reach out to us at elseviergdrev@elsevier.com to provide more information.
Viewing 4 - 6 of 2,181 Reviews

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