Briggs & Stratton Reviews

When the CEO’s approval on Glassdoor is that of a typical Presidential approval rating (BUT CUT IN HALF), you know something is terribly wrong. Accountability does not exist in the corporation. Quarter after quarter, financial goals are missed. Rather than leadership accepting their choices and actions may be the reason for some of these shortfalls, they blame external factors. Things like the weather, retail partners selling less, etc. The Company acquired many businesses over the last 10 years to become more diversified. They are now selling many of those same businesses as the corporation is now “too complicated”. These results are directly correlated to the decisions of leadership, though nobody will be held accountable. During these tough times of COVID-19, we have seen countless CEO’s of large companies like Briggs & Stratton sacrifice their salary. Briggs however, cut all employee salaries, and by a large amount. This was done well before any impact of Covid-19 could even be comprehended by the business. This was their scapegoat to cut salaries, when in reality they needed to because of the failing business due to leadership’s decision making. To say leadership is secretive, guarded and insecure would be an enormous understatement. Candidness is not something that comes easy or is appreciated in this corporation. The executors of the company are very good people. They work hard amongst broken/dated processes and unsupported systems. This creates a close bond between these workers, and is the reason people stay at Briggs & Stratton. Sadly, the ship is sinking rapidly, and they are left no choice but to jump before it’s too late.

I'd need 5 pages if I wanted to list them all, but here are the top 5: 1) Lack of Outside Experience: Management is filled with "lifers" that bring absolutely zero outside experience. When they do higher smart, results-driven talent from the outside they leave within a couple years because they understand the leopard will never change its spots. 2) Marketing Choices: Instead of investing their marketing dollars in categories that were growing at double-digit percents, they decided to waste MILLIONS of dollars trying to get consumers to change their opinions about gasoline engines. Current stock price under $2 shows how well that worked. 3) Misogynistic Culture: Sexual harassment occurs frequently, but is masked by excuses like, "he means well." Young men were coddled & asked what their "passions" were while young females were expected to work around the clock. Women who stood up for themselves were told to "settle down." 4) NPD Overload: Instead of spending time introducing innovative products that would significantly impact the organization, engineers were focused on developing new SKUs to replaced old SKUs because "that's what the buyer at wants." 5) "Butts in Seat" Mentality: Working remotely was frowned upon, even when it was dangerous to drive in the snow or -20 degrees outside. Management would comment on who was "missing" & inform their bosses it was unacceptable to work from home.