UPS

"I've been with the company for 7 years. I work on the inside directly handling packages. The company provides great benefits. It's very hand work and can be stressful at times."

"I have been with UPS for almost 10 years in non-operations positions (read: I don't handle freight/packages and am not union). While I am happy to have a steady job, this is still very much a male-dominated company and I don't see them doing much to change. No paid maternity leave (except for disability insurance) and there aren't a lot of opportunities for work from home options or flexible work schedules (even if you have a laptop, you're still expects to put in your eight hours at the office - the laptop is so you can work in the evenings or weekends). In addition, you have a forced one-hour lunch, so you are looking at a nine-hour day minimum. It varies from group to group, but management employees are expected to go "above and beyond" and work early and/or late, plus take work home. This all adds up to making it very difficult to obtain any semblance of work-life balance (a term they throw around quite a bit, but never seem to actually do much about). As far as treatment of women, it's still clear this is very much a boy's club. It's much harder for women to get promoted and those that do are usually single and/or childless because they aren't being "punished" for trying to have a family. I had my first child earlier this year and while my management was supportive, I can already tell that my leaving right at 5 p.m. (Instead of staying to 5:30 like a "good" employee) is being noticed and I probably won't go much higher, but that's a sacrifice I am willing to make. A lot of people within UPS would like to see things change and eventually they may as the "old guard" starts to retire, but it definitely won't be for another few years at least. I am fortunate that I am one of the employees who is still eligible for a pension from UPS (newer employees aren't) - otherwise I would have left a long time ago."

"In my time at working here, I have listened to numerous speeches on the embracing culture of UPS. How they promote from within and want a more diverse employee base. The reality is much more different. The higher level management has very few women, and most people who are promoted to the higher level are male. They do not really invest time or money in training in skills that would allow the entry level woman or male get to that next level, the IS department would rather hire outside the pool leaving entry level women at the bottom. Most women I have seen are pretty much promoted to business analyst nothing technical. They do have women's BGR groups, but I don't know if they actually have any mentoring or real help for women to get anywhere. Mid level women seem to stay there, some have been in the same position for over 10 years. there is no real way to learn new skills, only middle management is offered that, so honestly I would have to say its a good entry level position to try to get some experience, then move on to a company that wants people who want to learn and grow, UPS likes to keep things the way they have always done it."

"Be goal oriented and strong minded, physically prepared and be sure to stretch as apart of a daily routine."

"Take as much maternity leave as is allowed. I came back early after my first child, and no one appreciated it... It was undue pressure I put on myself. Also, pay raise was pro-rated after my second child/maternity leave. And people wonder why women's salaries fall behind men's? Disappointing for a company that tries to promote women's leadership. Put your $ where your mouth is, UPS! Work is very stressful, long hours, high expectations. Difficult to maintain a proper work-life balance."