Employee Reviews
(Winged ratings measure job satisfaction on scale of 1 to 5)
Anonymous shared this review of Westat, United States on Mar 1st, 2020
"You have a chance to be in a high position just have to fight for it"
Are women & men treated equally?
"Yes"
Does the CEO support gender diversity?
"Yes"
One thing Westat can improve?
"Promote more women into leadership positions"
Level of Flexibility
1
2
3
4
5
Work-Life Friendly Attributes:
Culture
Is paid parental leave offered, and if so, how much?
"No / Unsure"
Would you recommend Westat to other women?
"Yes"
How supportive is your manager?
1
2
3
4
5
Which benefits are offered?
Parental leave, Health care
Want to submit a response?
Anonymous shared this review of Westat, United States on Jan 9th, 2020
"It depends on the specific group you work with. I think work life balance is lacking but it doesn’t seem too gendered although top leadership is male"
Are women & men treated equally?
"Yes"
Does the CEO support gender diversity?
"Not sure"
One thing Westat can improve?
"Improve work-life balance and policies (e.g. flex-time, limit face time)"
Recent Salary
$80k-$100k
Level of Flexibility
1
2
3
4
5
Work-Life Friendly Attributes:
Culture
Is paid parental leave offered, and if so, how much?
"No / Unsure"
Would you recommend Westat to other women?
"Maybe"
How supportive is your manager?
1
2
3
4
5
Which benefits are offered?
Parental leave, Health care, Childcare, Pension
Want to submit a response?
Anonymous shared this review of Westat, United States on Nov 29th, 2019
"The company is a generally a welcoming and laid back environment, but there are always exceptions. General consensus is that this is a comfortable but maybe not cushy place to work. The lack of concrete policies/role expectations means there is a lot of variation in peoples' experiences. The company skews older (i.e., it is not a magnet for people in their 20s-30s, and you can work here 15 years and still be considered "new"). True development opportunities within the company and on its business side are rare and/or dependent on supervisors. The company offers a package for individuals pursuing their MA/PhD, but this requires a long-term commitment to the company/simultaneous part-time work, and thereby limits program opportunities (since most PhD program positions are self-funded, and Westat's promotion/role levels have been tied to degree attainment, this is [understandably for their part] a Westat-serving benefit).
Though the staffing is (maybe?) predominantly female in low/mid-level positions, most senior positions/those with the most 'weight' are occupied by men who have been with the company 30+ years (and there is an accumulation of senior level employees who are hitting a ceiling as the company struggles to grow itself to a more 'corporate' culture). Historically Westat has had issues in equitable hiring/promotion practices (there was a lawsuit in the 90s), and though the company claims to have made changes to combat this, lack of true transparency, protocols, and role descriptions suggest these changes haven't been particularly profound. Positions are however generally stable and employees are collaborative and friendly, reflective of the employee-owned nature of the company. Benefits and family leave policies (FMLA unpaid 12 weeks) definitely leave something to be desired and are not particularly competitive within the field or region (though everyone has their own office, which works well for breastfeeding colleagues). Additionally, coverage can be an issue and likewise depends on team/supervisor placement. Changes are anticipated with a new President and HR director, but it's unclear exactly what they are the effect they will have. Overall, a company with a good reputation and solid place to work, but it is only just starting to think about itself in a more corporate way (and is certainly not pushing the envelope on that front to be a more "modern" workplace, either). "
Are women & men treated equally?
"No"
Does the CEO support gender diversity?
"Not sure"
One thing Westat can improve?
"Promote more women into leadership positions"
Position or Department
Research Associate/Analyst, Research & Development
Recent Salary
$80k-$100k
Recent Bonus
$0-$10k
Level of Flexibility
1
2
3
4
5
"Flexibility is extremely variable and based on your team/supervisor. Some people get set work-at-home days. Others in identical roles on other teams need to request any atypical schedules/out-of-office time in advance. Differences in how departments and supervisors handle in-office hours, remote work opportunities, work-at-home/flex days, and personal time for appointments, etc. is part of larger company-wide issue of inconsistency that Westat is actively trying to address (as of ~2017 with the hiring of a new president)."
Is paid parental leave offered, and if so, how much?
"Yes"
0 Weeks Paid | 12 Weeks Unpaid
Would you recommend Westat to other women?
"Maybe"
How supportive is your manager?
1
2
3
4
5
Which benefits are offered?
Parental leave, Health care, Pension
Want to submit a response?
Anonymous shared this review of Westat on May 5th, 2016
"Not a bad place to work. Have always seen women treated fairly, although seems like fewer are in leadership roles."
Are women & men treated equally?
"Yes"
One thing Westat can improve?
"Improve my compensation"
Recent Salary
$25k-$50k
Recent Bonus
$0-$10k
Work-Life Friendly Attributes:
Culture, Hours
Did you take Maternity leave?
"No"
Would you recommend Westat to other women?
"Yes"
Want to submit a response?