14 Pros and Cons of Working for Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is the second-largest metal and mining company in the world and was formed in 1873 in Rio Tinto, Spain.

Since then, it’s expanded to include multiple unique career opportunities, such as mining technician, marketing, engineering, and managing positions.

If you’re interested in a career with this firm, it’s essential to understand their pros and cons.

These benefits and downsides were listed by real people who worked with Rio Tinto.

Table of Contents

Pros of Working for Rio Tinto
Cons of Working for Rio Tinto
14 Pros and Cons of Working for Rio Tinto – Summary Table
Should You Work for Rio Tinto?

Pros of Working for Rio Tinto

Each of the benefits below was discovered after reading through multiple online reviews by real Rio Tinto employees.

Many had positive things to say about this company, particularly its stability, benefits, salary, and work environment.

While there are some drawbacks to working with this firm, there are clear reasons why it might work for you.

Read through these carefully to make an intelligent employment decision and then read through the negatives to get the full deal on this employer.

1. Strong Benefit Packages for Most Positions

As a large corporation, Rio Tinto provides a robust benefits package for almost all of its employees.

You’ll get personal time off (two weeks to start and five weeks at the most), health insurance, sick days, extensive training, and even stock options.

This latter benefit is more common in higher-end jobs, such as executives.

For lower-level employees, you’ll get other advantages like extensive safety training that ensures you are safe if you work hands-on in the mining field.

It also ensures you feel satisfied with your job.

2. Great Salary That Often Leads the Market

According to Indeed, 76% of all Rio Tinto employees are satisfied with their salaries.

These include people earning as much as $92,000 as a plant operator or $100,000 as an instrument technician.

These salaries will vary depending on when you apply and what job you work for Rio Tinto.

That said, even jobs in mining are competitively priced, meaning you’ll get good value for your work when you’re employed by Rio Tinto.

Often, compensation is higher than from other employers, depending on your specific job.

3. Caring CEO Who Sets a Strong Standard

Multiple people positively reviewed Rio Tinto’s CEO, saying that they understand their job and provide caring and compassionate support for each employee.

Though the large structure of this business means you might not see them, they typically hire high-quality management experts who can help train you and improve your career.

Most reviews stated that this company’s managers were strong, with only a few “bad apples.”

Typically, good work environments start at the top and trickle down.

4. Strong Business Outlook

Rio Tinto is a well-established company with over 150 years of experience.

Furthermore, the metal and mining industry is not going anywhere soon, so they’ll likely be serving a powerful need for a long time.

Furthermore, their stock is pretty stable and has maintained a strong presence on the market for many years and is likely to hit over $80 per share by the end of 2023.

That makes it a stable and reliable employer that isn’t likely to suddenly cut your position or start operating entirely.

5. Friendly Workplace in Most Environments

With four-star ratings on most job review sites, Rio Tinto is heavily acclaimed for its friendly workplace and co-workers.

You’ll likely meet friendly faces willing to help you learn more about your position and to provide hands-on support as you transition to other jobs.

Many Rio Tinto offices have employee outings and other events that make it more engaging, including trips to restaurants and movie theaters.

In this way, many employees feel connected to their employer and co-workers.

6. Employee Support System

Rio Tinto has an extensive employee-support system that helps manage complaints and other concerns.

These typically vary based on your department.

For example, miners often have access to physical therapists and other treatment specialists that can help them with injuries and other concerns.

An extensive HR department can help with work-related concerns and provides employees with an outlet for concerns over long work hours, personal conflicts, and other issues that naturally arise while working.

7. Diverse Work Options

While Rio Tinto is primarily a mining firm, there are many potential jobs within this company.

For example, you can start as an entry-level miner and work your way up to project management and tool technicians.

Other careers in this company include office workers, such as managers and secretaries, as well as accountants and marketing experts.

As a result, even if you know little about mining, you can likely start a career in this firm, such as helping plan financial investments in new mining equipment.

Cons of Working for Rio Tinto

Working for Rio Tinto is likely to earn you good money and provide a stable and reliable workplace alongside strong career training.

However, no company is perfect, and Rio Tinto is no different.

There are definite downsides to working for this firm, and not all current or former employees were happy with their time here.

The issues below were the most commonly reported concerns and should be understood before applying for a job.

1. Long Hours

One of the most common complaints by Rio Tinto employees was long hours, particularly for entry-level positions.

Miners often work 12-15 hour shifts 6-7 days a week, which can result in heavy burnout.

Even managers, marketers, and executives report working more than they wanted.

While this kind of hard work is often necessary for successful businesses, a company of Rio Tinto’s size should have better programs in place to prevent employee burnout and improve retention.

2. Very Rigid Structure

Rio Tinto is often reported as having a very rigid structure that can make communication reasonably difficult.

Decisions usually take a long time because multiple management levels debate the value of each choice and must report back to executives and others regularly.

This process often makes Rio Tinto feel slow to react to various market changes.

While this slow process hasn’t drastically affected their profits, it could in the future and is something to consider if you prefer a more flexible structure.

3. Some Management Concerns

A few people reported that their managers were challenging to work with at Rio Tinto or communicated poorly.

The most common management issue was bad scheduling, including not listening to an employee’s needs and scheduling them when they didn’t want to work.

Others reported mandatory overtime and even extensive political concerns.

While most people lodging these complaints stated that most managers were fine, there are a few that affect work quality extensively.

4. Minimal Upward Advancement

Though career advancement is possible with Rio Tinto, many employees reported limited opportunities within their field.

For instance, miners often found it was hard to move up or that they needed more training that Rio Tinto didn’t provide.

Furthermore, they reported that many people were advanced due to friendships and not the quality of their work.

This frustrating situation caused many former employees to quit after many years at Rio Tinto and is worth considering if you want to advance.

5. Lack of Location Input

Rio Tinto works in many parts of the world and often dictates where each of its employees goes.

For example, miners often find themselves shipped off to a new location with minimal warning and prep time, often having to leave behind their families.

Even management teams may get moved around a lot with little input into the decision.

While some people loved this opportunity to travel the world and embraced this lifestyle, those who wanted a more settled existence found it tiring and difficult.

6. Remote Work Can Be Isolating

Rio Tinto has an extensive remote work environment for many of its office employees.

Furthermore, many must travel overseas, including identifying mining spots and working in the field for months.

Both of these environments can be isolating, as reported by employees.

Fieldwork is less troubling for single people because they’ll travel with co-workers.

However, those with a family may find extended time from home difficult.

Some remote workers even report feeling disconnected from others.

7. Early Job Confusion

Some people reported feeling confused or poorly supported early in their job, particularly when starting out.

While there are multiple training programs that should help improve your skills, some people stated that these options were often not as comprehensive as they needed.

While many did note that they received support when they discussed feeling confused, others found their early struggles never got resolved.

This concern is something to note if you’re someone who needs direction to master a skill.