Western Financial Group
Western Financial Group Employee Reviews
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Good place for experience but not long term
Accessible Execs
Interesting projects
Mostly good people
Best if you live in the south end of the city because you can't work remotely
Do not pay market rates for skilled workers
Political at times
No advancement opportunities in certain areas
Interesting projects
Mostly good people
Best if you live in the south end of the city because you can't work remotely
Do not pay market rates for skilled workers
Political at times
No advancement opportunities in certain areas
Great Place to Work
I really enjoy my job at Western Financial Group. My daily duties are interesting and fast paced. Western has given me so many opportunities to learn more and advance in my career.
Benefits are great and management is amazing. My coworkers are like my second family and are always there if I need anything.
Overall great place to work and a great team!
Benefits are great and management is amazing. My coworkers are like my second family and are always there if I need anything.
Overall great place to work and a great team!
Pros
Benefits, Teamwork, Learning Opportunities
Great Leadership , amazing team atmosphere
My experience as a Western employee has been great. I really enjoy my employee - supervisor relation and feel respected but also challenged. Frequent meetings and interaction with other employees has really helped me to develop in my current role. I have felt that Western understands and invests in their Teams to ensure they are set up for not only short term but long term as well.
Clique mentality & inadequate training
Ok pay. Excellent benefits. Position had far more expectations & demands than advertised. Mgmt tracks every single error, no matter how miniscule or& tracks every in/outbound email. Speed & accuracy are paramount. Being trained by a peer does not necessarily mean that you are given all the relevant information required. Gossip is rampant. Not necessarily the most supportive atmosphere for a newcomer.
Pros
Benefits
Cons
Attitude of "team members" to department newbies
Had a great work/life balance
You would assist your book of clients that you had and explain all the aspects of a group benefit plan to an owner, plan administrator or the employees of the company.
The hardest part of the job is when a company left the business and your job was to keep them as part of your book of business.
The hardest part of the job is when a company left the business and your job was to keep them as part of your book of business.
Pros
Could leave for appts without making up the time
Cons
trying to keep a client that was trying to leave the company
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If you enjoy talking...
My experience as an insurance advisor meant that I was able to talk with many people either on the phone or in person. The best part of the job was to be able to help people with their insurance needs and see if they could save money.
Terrible Management!!
It used to be a family like atmosphere in the office,until a new branch manager came in and stopped all of that. I would not reccomend working there to my worst enemy. It's a shame so many good workers quit because of inexperienced and rude management!!
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Poor Management
Management in office and higher up, head office are horrible. The turn around in office is horrible, turn around in HR is just as bad.
The pay is lower for what’s required. They push sales on you, in a quiet office. Poor management makes unhappy staff, hence high staff turn around. If you need a job, it’s a great starting point, but your gonna wanna move on to better.
The pay is lower for what’s required. They push sales on you, in a quiet office. Poor management makes unhappy staff, hence high staff turn around. If you need a job, it’s a great starting point, but your gonna wanna move on to better.
Room for improvement and don't get sick.
Some great people work here. Unfortunately most of them are too afraid to speak up, to share ideas or concerns. This inhibits an environment where innovation and collaboration are part of the culture and people can safely feel heard and respected. Churn is high.
Truthfulness, fairness, value and loyalty are professed not practiced. I witnessed numerous co-workers go from being strong, confident, capable and talented employees to stressed out shells of themselves who then ended up quietly being "packaged" out. Mental health is touted as important but show the slightest sign and out comes an envelope and an NDA.
The hardest part of this job was working directly for a boss, not a leader. It felt like going backwards in time. When you have worked alongside some really great leaders before the contrast is glaringly apparent when you do not. The disconnect in the organization between the internal team and the sales team is a major obstacle over all and was challenging to navigate.
In fairness I did work with some executives outside of my own team that did exemplify leadership that I was grateful to learn from. As is typical there are some really good apples in the bunch but there are a couple not so good ones spoiling it.
In my tenure within this organization I accomplished some pretty great things unfortunately when it comes down to it, like many companies, you are just a number at the end of day.
Truthfulness, fairness, value and loyalty are professed not practiced. I witnessed numerous co-workers go from being strong, confident, capable and talented employees to stressed out shells of themselves who then ended up quietly being "packaged" out. Mental health is touted as important but show the slightest sign and out comes an envelope and an NDA.
The hardest part of this job was working directly for a boss, not a leader. It felt like going backwards in time. When you have worked alongside some really great leaders before the contrast is glaringly apparent when you do not. The disconnect in the organization between the internal team and the sales team is a major obstacle over all and was challenging to navigate.
In fairness I did work with some executives outside of my own team that did exemplify leadership that I was grateful to learn from. As is typical there are some really good apples in the bunch but there are a couple not so good ones spoiling it.
In my tenure within this organization I accomplished some pretty great things unfortunately when it comes down to it, like many companies, you are just a number at the end of day.
Can’t believe in company or products
They never pay their clients claims. Very stressful work environment due to complaints constantly. High roll lover of staff as upper management makes you micro manage every one. Complaints are not resolved and clients are stressed out due to it. Negative work environment no resolution to back feedback. Waste of time if you want a long term career
Poor Management/Lack of Empathy
In the beginning I thought I had hit the jackpot. Came in with no prior insurance background and by the end of 3 months had my level 2 insurance licence. Head office promised us the world, home office, expenses paid, support staff to handle submissions and admin work so we could sell, sell, sell. Started with no book of business so we needed that. Support staff refused to assist and only gave advice and did not know how to use the systems. Had 5 different managers in 3 years, only one knew how to coach us and they let him go. Bit by bit all the perks were whittled away and I was stuck with a manager that had no idea how coach/manage a commercial producer, advisor staff were verbally abusive, clients given to other staff even if they were one of my prospects/referrals, blamed for mismanaging files even with clear documentation to prove this was not the case. I could go on and on. In the end, instead of honouring what was promised or offering another position within the company they let me go. Along with everyone else that took their commercial producer program.
Ruined A Career Path
Your day generally starts off with getting into the office and instantly starting to get calls and answer email requests. This is absolutely fine if you are used to a fast-paced environment but there are so many people that are hired that got the job because of "general insurance level 1 or 2" license. Be prepared to have to do the job of at least two people with no increase in compensation.
The turn over rate is ridiculous. In the time that I worked there, there were 12 people that came and left before I finally had enough. If you're a good worker there, expect to be ridden into the ground.
Management care only for sales and little about their employees. This goes for any level of management that you may come in contact with.
The pay structure is laughable. Starting out at other companies in the same city you can instantly be making what someone who was there for almost 3 years was.
Seniority means nothing as well. There is little to no opportunity to move up unless someone who has been there for years leaves the company. Those that are in any position that is higher than an Insurance Advisor do not know the basics that those under them do. There were many times that I would be doing the job of those above me because they wouldn't or couldn't do it.
Listen to your employees. It isn't always just petty issues. Something that seems small to management can be quite large to those that are under them.
Working here ruined a career path for me that at first I enjoyed and now just am glad that I never had to deal with again.
The turn over rate is ridiculous. In the time that I worked there, there were 12 people that came and left before I finally had enough. If you're a good worker there, expect to be ridden into the ground.
Management care only for sales and little about their employees. This goes for any level of management that you may come in contact with.
The pay structure is laughable. Starting out at other companies in the same city you can instantly be making what someone who was there for almost 3 years was.
Seniority means nothing as well. There is little to no opportunity to move up unless someone who has been there for years leaves the company. Those that are in any position that is higher than an Insurance Advisor do not know the basics that those under them do. There were many times that I would be doing the job of those above me because they wouldn't or couldn't do it.
Listen to your employees. It isn't always just petty issues. Something that seems small to management can be quite large to those that are under them.
Working here ruined a career path for me that at first I enjoyed and now just am glad that I never had to deal with again.
Pros
Quarterly Bonuses
Cons
Weekend Work, Low Pay
Productive and fun place to work
I had an amazing team and management at Western financial group. I have gained great experience and knowledge being a broker.
we worked as one western in Lloydminster and have achieved amazing results together. i have learned to prioritize my tasks and help clients while being positive throughout the day.
The three years at Western has definitely prepared me for my future role as Insurance adviser.
we worked as one western in Lloydminster and have achieved amazing results together. i have learned to prioritize my tasks and help clients while being positive throughout the day.
The three years at Western has definitely prepared me for my future role as Insurance adviser.
Life at western
Management ( team lead) does not have the proper training or people skills to manage a team. One set of rules for managers another set for employees. People being written up for invalid reasons. If you confront or voice your concerns they get their back up and defensive. They are not a fair work life balance. Management also talks about other staff to their co workers. Very very poor office moral. Current supervisor does not have training in all departments therefore it's very unfair that this person cannot assist all whom she oversees. They make u feel incompetent and second guess yourself all the time. It's really unfortunate as it use to be a great place to work. With current management it has unfortunately taken a toll for the worse.
Don't recommend working for WFG
Wages a joke, even after additional education no wage increase
Upper management is only out to line their own pockets
Front line workers expected to take on more and more duties without any wage increases
Very unprofessional/harassing emails from management telling you that you are not working hard enough
Expected to work extended hours without pay or time off in lieu
Bonus' are rated on complete office performance rather than individual performance
No opinions are wanted, shut up and work...
Branch Managers change often....can't keep them...wonder why???
Upper management is only out to line their own pockets
Front line workers expected to take on more and more duties without any wage increases
Very unprofessional/harassing emails from management telling you that you are not working hard enough
Expected to work extended hours without pay or time off in lieu
Bonus' are rated on complete office performance rather than individual performance
No opinions are wanted, shut up and work...
Branch Managers change often....can't keep them...wonder why???
Pros
Caring Co Workers
Cons
Wages, Management
Plan to work here forever or not at all
I spent 10 years working at Western Financial Group, however I had to relocate to an area that they don't service. What I discovered while looking for a new job is that WFG won't give references. Since that is the only place I've worked in the last decade I have no current references and it has proven impossible to find work. I have applied for hundreds of jobs with a pretty high response rate, but as soon as the companies find out I don't have any references I never hear from them again. I have been looking for work for over a year now. It's really unfortunate that WFG punishes it's long term employees this way, so unless you plan to work there for less than a year, or for life, don't bother.
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