Pros
Deere has historically been a great place to work. Employees were valued and turnover was very low. While that caused some problems, it meant that deep relationships were developed with our customers that lasted 30 or 40 years. They also have some of the best benefits in the industry, including Pension and very generous 401K Matching.
Cons
Since John May took over as the CEO, the benefits listed above have been pretty much wiped out. Management layers have been reduced, which leaves very few advancement opportunities and a LOT of competition for any opening that pops up. He has brought a focus that prioritizes shareholders at all costs. Our stock price has skyrocketed, but employee engagement has tanked and the exodus is only beginning. The historically generous bonuses are being reduced by introducing impossibly aggressive targets to meet them. To put it in perspective, running our company performance from the last 5 years and comparing the old versus new incentive plan would have resulted in over $100K in reduced compensation spanning those 5 years. It is very sad to see. I have been with the company over 10 years and no longer see this as a company I see myself sticking with for many years.