Rookie year - Anonymous employee Elsevier Employee Review

2.0
Mar 12, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There are some very bright, dedicated people in my location. Travel budget is more than adequate, and there's a fair amount of autonomy (flip side-- you're also on your own in terms of support). They are flexible about working remotely. 401k match is pretty generous, percentage-wise, but salaries are so low... I'm not sure that's a plus or a minus.

Cons

Salary. It is very low. Raises don't happen-- you get a small bump every year (2-3%), which is a bit better than inflation but not quite keeping up with the cost of living. There are no merit raises, no matter what they say during the hiring process. Benefits are average. In fact, HR informed us in an all-hands meeting that that was their target-- to offer average benefits. I suspect that they are largely taking advantage of people leaving academia for private industry, who don't know any better. There is no onboarding, no training, and if you're not in the Amsterdam office, no mentoring, or communication with the rest of the company. Furthermore, there is no concern anymore for the quality of their products, or long-term sustainability of their constantly-shifting strategies. Decision making processes are chaotic at best. Everyone's workload is constantly being increased, but no additional resources are being provided, nor any financial incentive. So, if you want a higher salary, you have to get promoted. They do promote from within, but only following an intense interview process. After which, you get to negotiate a salary with someone who knows exactly what you make currently.

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5.0
May 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

Industry leader Great benefits Incentive trips Invests heavily in its employees

Cons

Processes can be burdensome and clunky at times

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Elsevier Response
3w
Thank you for this balanced and thoughtful review. We're glad to hear that our benefits and investment in people are making a positive impact, those are commitments we take seriously. On the process feedback: Leadership is actively reviewing operational workflows, and the advice to listen more closely to employee feedback is something we're holding ourselves accountable to. If you're open to it, we'd encourage you to bring specific examples forward through your team or people and culture contacts. Change is most effective when it's grounded in the real experiences of the people doing the work, and that means you. Feel free to reach out to us at elseviergdrev@elsevier.com to provide more information Thank you for staying engaged and for caring enough to share this. It matters.
4.0
Jun 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Every direct manager I've had has been excellent: supportive, positive, and trusting me to deliver good work instead of micromanaging. Employees tend to stay, which suggests stability even if not everyone gets promotions or significant raises.

Cons

The pressure to outsource as much as possible, which is common at every publisher, leads to frustration. Because promotions or significant raises seem to be rare, you may be stuck in neutral unless you're very openly ambitious.

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