Overworked and underpaid - Senior Editor Elsevier Employee Review

1.0
12 Apr 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I enjoyed the work I did, it was just overwhelming in volume and made me ill.

Cons

Long hours and neverending workload. This company has shocking attitudes towards mental health. If you can't handle 12+ hour days, you are considered not good enough and discouraged from opportunities for advancement. But you will be sent endless emails about mindfulness seminars. Budget cuts at Elsevier are undermining the quality of the product. Elsevier only cares about making money. Jobs are poorly paid compared with other publishing companies. Hotdesking (which means they won't pay for enough desks, so you might end up working in an unsuitable environment). Apparently health and safety doesn't apply to Elsevier.

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5.0
11 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Industry leader Great benefits Incentive trips Invests heavily in its employees

Cons

Processes can be burdensome and clunky at times

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Elsevier Response
1mo
Thank you for this balanced and thoughtful review. We're glad to hear that our benefits and investment in people are making a positive impact, those are commitments we take seriously. On the process feedback: Leadership is actively reviewing operational workflows, and the advice to listen more closely to employee feedback is something we're holding ourselves accountable to. If you're open to it, we'd encourage you to bring specific examples forward through your team or people and culture contacts. Change is most effective when it's grounded in the real experiences of the people doing the work, and that means you. Feel free to reach out to us at elseviergdrev@elsevier.com to provide more information Thank you for staying engaged and for caring enough to share this. It matters.
4.0
9 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Every direct manager I've had has been excellent: supportive, positive, and trusting me to deliver good work instead of micromanaging. Employees tend to stay, which suggests stability even if not everyone gets promotions or significant raises.

Cons

The pressure to outsource as much as possible, which is common at every publisher, leads to frustration. Because promotions or significant raises seem to be rare, you may be stuck in neutral unless you're very openly ambitious.

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