Harvard Employee Reviews
Out of 42 Harvard employee reviews, 47% were positive. The remaining 53% were constructive reviews with the goal of helping Harvard improve their work culture. The Admin team, with 73% positive reviews, reports the best experience at Harvard compared to all other departments at the company.
Briefly describe your overall experience at your company
What do you like best about the leadership team?
One of the best team in acadmia
The people who run Harvard really seem to care about the community
Review from Admin Dept
They seem to have a real understanding of work life balance.
What does the leadership team need to get better at?
Hire innovative disrupters who are open to feedback from all levels.
Not participating in favoritism and treat all employees fairly.
Review from Admin Dept
What is the best part about your compensation package?
All the extras in addition to the standard things like health insurance, such as ticket discounts, tuition assistance, and university library access
Review from Admin Dept
The benefits are the only good part
Review from Admin Dept
Amazing health insurance, amazing retirement contributions, and generous paid time off.
Why do you feel undervalued and what would make you feel better about your compensation?
Going market rates and keeping up with inflation.
Pay people market rate, and don't underpay just because the Harvard name does better at the next job. Given the endowment, the benefits should be above other area schools not behind it.
As a Postdoctoral fellow, the salary is low
Harvard, understandably, pays less than industry.
We are definitely paid below 'market rate' here at the University. This is typical in higher ed, but it's too bad Harvard (with its resources) can't pay more.
What are some of the best things about your team?
Most of the people really want to properly support students, faculty, and staff! We all have to be creative in finding ways to do it well.
My team in particularly is filled with helpful, friendly people
Review from Admin Dept
What do your coworkers need to improve and how could you work together better?
Like hires like; not a meritocracy. Peter principle in action every day.
They could use email more, and stop calling for every little thing.
Eliminate favoritism and treat everyone fairly
Review from Admin Dept
What is most positive about the culture and environment at your company?
There's a lot of focus on liberal/social values and making everyone feel safe and included
Review from Admin Dept
What needs to change to make the company culture better?
Get rid of bully managers.
Solicit, listen to, and act on feedback.
Eliminate favoritism and it will all be fine
Review from Admin Dept
The performance management process is ridiculous. It's all about setting goals (ie, creating extra work for yourself.)
What did you like most about the interview process?
Straightforward for me and the interviewers based on my expectations for the position
Well, I appreciate that they take previous experience very seriously, and in my department in particular, they'll even attempt to place people who seem like a good fit for another job in the department.
Review from Admin Dept
What would you improve about your company's interview process?
It's exhausting to have multiple day long interviews with so many people. I wonder if there's a way to balance the wellbeing of candidates with stakeholder involvement.
What makes you most happy at work?
I like to help people and make improvements and I am allowed to do that.
challenging work that makes you grow; create coworkers and managers that don't put down others for their own benefit.
I am doing work that I genuinely enjoy, and feel appreciated for it.
Review from Admin Dept
My coworkers and knowing my Work helps others.
Review from Admin Dept
What's going wrong and how can it be improved?
More feedback, more responsiveness, and more progress.
I think we should go back to the old days when it comes to performance management. You could sit and discuss actual performance instead of focusing entirely on goal setting (ie, creating more work for yourself.)
What do you like best about your company?
Pushing medicine to its limit with the help of technology.
What would you most like to see improved at your company?
Further integration with industry (medical, IT)