Pros
Wages, benefits and conditions very good when comparing jobs and skill set with equivalent companies. Most people are genuinely passionate and want to do the right thing. If you are ambitious and bright you can go a long way (if you’re ambitious and not so bright you can also go a long way!). Great safety and D&I message being delivered from the top. A job for life should you want it. Quite easy to move around the company into different areas with good training and further education opportunities. It can be an exciting place to work. Despite some frustrations (see Cons), I love it, and would recommend to those interested in getting people from A to B safely and, ahem, efficiently on Britain’s railways.
Cons
Like many monster organisations the inefficiency and waste is staggering. Top down management. An awful lot of middle management – the value being questionable. Any problems - the answer seems to be throw even more management at it. Poor performance is not dealt with. Despite good messages being preached, D&I has a huge way to go and things I’ve heard spoken at all levels are not acceptable. People can be promoted beyond their abilities and poor performance is not effectively dealt with. Relationship between HQ and the routes isn’t the best. Comms can be poor. Pace of change can be slow.