Calpine Reviews

4.2

86% would recommend to a friend

(442 total reviews)

Andrew Novotny/Thad Hill

91% approve of CEO

78% positive business outlook

Calpine has an employee rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on 442 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Calpine employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Energy, mining, utilities industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

442 reviews
1.0
23 Mar 2017

Terrible Place to Work

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Benefits are ok, has some real good people (mostly low level, but a few middle managers as well)

Cons

Where do I even start??? 1 - This place does not care about the employees at all! There is no loyalty to hard-working people who have been dedicated employees. We've had more surprise layoffs in the last 18 months then we have had all-hands meetings (and seeing as how they love to stroke their egos, we have a lot of all hands meetings so that is saying something. 2 - They put unqualified and undeserving people in positions of power because they are either "yes men/women", or, to be blunt, are too incompetent to know better. They took a guy and put him in a Senior Director role even though many people advised against it because of what a poor job he did in his last role! 3 - Executive management is a joke. Jack Fusco leaving and turning the company over to Thad Hill was the worst mistake Calpine has had to endure, and it is because of his poor leadership that this company is in the state that it is in. He has driven Calpine away from its core business (IPP) and is getting waist deep into retail, while the money makers (the plants) pay the price for it. 4 - The executive rotation program is just pathetic. The CAO has very effectively, efficiently, and expeditiously ran HR and IT/IS into the ground! Going back to being unqualified, she has no idea what she is doing, and it shows in the morale and culture of every department and person she manages. 5 - Instead of promoting good employees who are qualified, they like to throw salt on your wounds by allowing you to apply and then hiring external candidates...THAT YOU THEN HAVE TO HELP TRAIN. 6 - They refuse to allow mid level managers to do their job. Several of my former managers apologized to me during my reviews - each of them claimed that when they submitted my reviews to HR, they were kicked back and told to lower my rating because it was too high. 7 - They like to put things on paper to make themselves look good but you find that it takes a lot of "pencil-whipping" and bad behavior to get it done. The constraints at the plant level on meeting forecast every month is beyond ridiculous. For fear of retaliation or punishment, a lot of plants will hold or push transactions, or make a receipt early just to show they were within variance. 8 - If you want to be successful, just be an executive pet that does whatever they are told. That's how the head of supply chain, IT, and one of the new leaders in asset management got their gigs. If you're reading this thinking this person is fired up, you would be right. This USED to be an amazing place to work...and the unqualified fools sitting atop the ivory tower have been very strategic in destroying it.

1.0
28 Jan 2018

Total joke and extremely toxic!

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You get paid every two weeks. The medical, dental, vision, 401k, and PTO benefits are good. You also get 12 paid holidays. Solid bonus program.

Cons

This place will suck the life out of you! Overworked and underpaid is putting it nicely. Modern-day slavery is more accurate. The majority of leadership rules by fear and exploits their employees beyond measure. Your are expected to work like a robot and devote your life to Calpine. The company is under staffed in most departments - especially in IT and HR. They RIF employees and do not backfill positions because they are too focused on the bottom line instead of their hardworking employees’ health, work-life balance, or morale. Folks are let go, and you are given more work, but no pay increase. Executive Leadership promotes their favorite cronies into roles these individuals have no business managing, and they get the pay increase. It’s insulting to say the least. Calpine’s so called “ASPIRE” values are a fallacy and should be discarded in their entirety. There are some great people in the various departments. However, the majority of the HR leadership team is the most pathetic! Major “rule by fear mentality! You are expected to keep your mouth shut, take the abuse, and get the tasks done at all costs. Forget your family! Many tenured employees (of all levels) say “Calpine used to be a great place to work.” I wouldn’t know. What I do know is this is the most toxic work environment I have EVER encountered. They DO NOT care about their employees! It’s vile! Also, there is no room for advancement unless someone dies, retires, or leaves for a better career opportunity. Career progression plans are a non-existent unless you work at a plant or are an executive’s “chosen one.” If you are unemployed, destitute, and have no other employment option at the time, work here until something better comes along.

1.0
23 Mar 2017

What a Circus

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Benefits, some of the people (non management). I really can't think of anything else. Not the Calpine it used to be since management shuffles in 2012 and 2015.

Cons

The executive team and management team is a joke. The CAO has no experience in HR and IT, and as result her entire organization has major morale issues. You are treated as disposable unless you are an Executive pet, and to become a pet you have to be a "yes" man. The leadership team only wants to hear good and nothing that is actually going on. If you make the mistake of speaking the truth, be prepared to be retaliated against. By your manager, their manager, and HR. They expect you to work endless hours, but don't give you the tools or resources to be successful. The executive team leads by fear, and is driving the company in the ground.

Viewing 1 - 3 of 442 Reviews

Glassdoor has 520 Calpine reviews submitted anonymously by Calpine employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Calpine is right for you.