14 Pros And Cons Of Working For Verizon

Verizon came into existence in 2000, with the merger of Bell Atlantic and the GTE corporation.

Since that time, Verizon has been a leader in the telecommunications and cable industry.

Known for its innovative technology, the company has racked up several awards for performance, quality, and customer service.

Verizon employs over 135,000 people, from customer service representatives to cable technicians.

With all these employees and different departments, there are a ton of opinions as to what it’s like to work at Verizon.

From those opinions, we compiled this list of pros and cons.

Keep reading to see what it’s like to work at Verizon.

Table of Contents

Pros Of Working For Verizon
Cons Of Working For Verizon
14 Pros And Cons Of Working For Verizon – Summary Table
Should You Work For Verizon?

Pros Of Working For Verizon

1. Benefits

Benefits are always a welcome part of any job.

At Verizon, the benefits, according to most employees, are the best you can get.

First, there’s no waiting period, the medical benefits kick in on your first day of work.

Most companies require a waiting period of at least 1 month.

Medical coverage includes dental and vision.

There are 8 paid holidays per year and employers can take 6 paid personal days a year as well.

Vacation time is based on seniority and starts at 3 weeks per year, capping off at 6 weeks per year.

The company also offers disability insurance and a 401K program that matches up to 6 percent.

2. Perks

In addition to other local and group discounts, Verizon employees receive 50% discounts on phone plans and cable.

Though there are no discounts on phones, there are several contests and raffles all year round where workers can win a phone.

If you’re thinking about going back to school, Verizon’s got you covered.

They will pay up to $8,000 a year in tuition.

The company will pay the school directly so there’s no out-of-pocket expense.

These are some great perks that can help families save money and get ahead financially.

3. Health And Wellness Programs

Verizon takes the physical and mental health of its employees seriously.

This is why they developed the “Be Well, Work Well” program.

The initiative includes free, on-site health screenings, mammographies, flu shots, and 24/7 access to mental health and substance abuse resources.

Employees can also utilize free sessions with a health coach and personal training sessions.

These are great resources for people that feel they are too busy to see a doctor or hit the gym.

4. Parental Leave

Verizon offers all of its team members up to 8 weeks of fully paid leave upon the birth or adoption of a child.

This also includes the placement of a foster child.

Employees also have the option of adding on 12 weeks of unpaid family leave if more time is needed.

5. Training

Verizon employees across departments all basically agree that the training provided by the company is excellent.

You will be confident and prepared to take on your new position after completing your training period.

Better than that, training and professional development are ongoing.

So you never feel out of the loop or out of touch with the latest techniques and technology.

Training can be group led or done at your own pace via online videos and articles.

Former employees have even stated that the training they were provided with at Verizon helped them in their positions.

6. Co-Workers

Employees have stated that they feel supported and accepted by their colleagues.

There is a real sense of community and teamwork.

Fellow employees are always there to help out if needed.

Employees also report making lasting friendships with colleagues and socializing with groups of coworkers outside of work hours.

So if you’re looking for a supportive, friendly environment, Verizon could be for you.

7. Flexible Schedule/Environment

Verizon offers many of its employees part-time or full-time employment.

They can also request morning, afternoon, or evening shifts.

In addition, many positions can be done from home or on a hybrid schedule.

This is a great option for people that have families or need a change from their daily commute to work.

Cons Of Working For Verizon

1. Customers

The number one complaint among Verizon employees is the customers.

Of course, these are not all customers, many are friendly and pleasant.

However, there are many instances when people are already upset when they call.

Whether their service is malfunctioning or has been shut off, they’re mad before they contact the company.

Employees have reported many situations where the customers become aggressive and yell, use profanity, and call them names.

People have also been known to threaten violence and have complained to corporate over something that was out of the employee’s control.

Similar incidents have been reported by technicians that must visit homes.

If you’re thinking about a career with Verizon, you should have a lot of patience and not take things personally.

2. Performance Pressure

Verizon, like all other successful companies, has high expectations of its workforce.

It’s totally understandable that Verizon wants to have satisfied customers.

But, some employees feel that the extra effort is put entirely on the shoulders of entry-level staff.

Not only is perfect customer service expected, but also the added pressure to sell.

Employees are pushed to sell everything from more data to expensive cable packages.

Even if that’s not what the customer was calling about.

3. Jobs Are Outsourced

One of the drawbacks workers often complain about at Verizon is the outsourcing of jobs.

Outsourcing is when corporations hire people from outside the company, or non-employees, to perform the duties normally done by employees from within the company.

Employees say that this not only creates job losses but also leads to a lack of trained professionals representing the company.

Workers say this reflects poorly on them and Verizon as a whole.

4. Employees Are Micromanaged

Some employees have expressed concerns that the company micromanages employees’ every move.

That there is no wiggle room for any individuality, creativity, or independence.

Everything from scripted calls to when you can take a bathroom break is decided by supervisors and management.

This can lead to low morale and poor performance.

5. Management Changes

Employees state that there are a lot of transfers, rotating, and high turnover rates among management.

This, of course, is a cause of concern for workers.

You may get on very well with one manager and then they are suddenly gone.

Each manager also has their own set of goals and different ways of instituting the company’s policies.

This can lead to employees having to completely change the way they work.

It can be emotional and stressful when there’s a management change.

6. Company Is Too Big

There is the opinion that Verizon is such a large conglomerate that it lacks the personal, family feel.

Many people think that the managers and executives don’t even know their names, much less anything else.

Although not everyone feels this way, it’s something to be on the lookout for when applying.

That is if that type of thing is important when making a job-related decision.

7. Disciplinary Action

On occasion, workers have said that they were written up unfairly by supervisors.

Examples include unavoidable tardiness (due to traffic accidents or delayed trains), taking too much time off (even if they have the days), if they don’t meet a sales quota, and having issues with an unruly customer that complains.

There have also been instances where people were written up subjectively by managers who felt they could just be doing better, or not giving the job enough effort.