Avantages
Quite a bit of latitude in product design and process improvement ideas. Relatively flexible work schedule and excellent lean manufacturing program. Some sites have outstanding plant leadership teams.
Inconvénients
Pay raises are average or below for almost all with no opportunity for significant increases unless one moves into senior management (Plant Manager and above). German products, plants, and people are first all other regions come second. Poor opportunity for advancement within technical community - they are not serious about promoting from within the engineering group despite claims. U.S. operations are finance focused without regard to impact on employees (salary or hourly). Will pay for reorganizations before rewarding loyalty and performance - especially coming out of the recent economic crisis. Recently most pay raises were frozen while company undertakes another reorganization despite two years of no raises for almost all employees. Beware - there is always an excuse for no pay raises and when they are given the preference is for 2-3% every 18 months. You will never see performance bonuses or any raise beyond 10% regardless of qualification or performance.