Vantaggi
The people I worked with at Weber were generally good, professional, and respectful. Some were more approachable than others, but no one was openly difficult or inappropriate. My immediate team was flexible and cooperative, and there was a consistent sense of mutual understanding without interpersonal conflict. The issues I experienced at Weber stemmed almost entirely from structural problems within the company—specifically decisions made by ownership and the way HR operates.
Svantaggi
Weber Packaging Solutions primarily hires for blue-collar and non-technical roles that do not require a four-year degree. While a small number of technical employees are also employed, the benefits package is the same across all roles. As a result, the benefits offered are significantly weaker compared to industry standards for engineering positions. Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage begins two months after the start date. The medical plans are average; dental and vision coverage are below average. Weber contributes $700 annually to employees' Health Savings Accounts (HSA). The retirement plan includes a standard match, 50% of employee contributions up to 6% of salary. However, the vesting schedule is the legal maximum: a six-year graded vesting period. This is especially uncompetitive within the engineering industry. During the first five years, employees receive two weeks of paid time off and one week of sick leave. The sick leave is mandated by Illinois law and does not represent an added benefit. Two weeks of PTO is below average for engineering roles. Weber offers a quarterly bonus, but provides no transparency or documentation regarding its structure. In one quarter, I received a bonus equivalent to 0.6% of my salary. Assuming consistent quarterly payouts, this would equal a 2.4% annual bonus—well below the engineering industry average of 5–10%. But not all quarters provide bonuses, so the real amount is lower. A hybrid work policy allows two work-from-home days per week. However, HR strictly monitors adherence to this limit, even if direct managers are supportive of additional remote days. HR also tracks arrival times via badge swipes, but not departure times, creating the potential for employees to be penalized for late arrivals regardless of total hours worked. The tuition reimbursement program offers $1,000 annually, which is around the cost of three community college courses. This might be adequate for blue-collar roles looking to get their first degree, but is inadequate for technical employees, particularly those pursuing graduate degrees that typically cost $15,000 to $25,000 annually. Most engineering firms offer at least $5,000 per year in tuition support. The engineering department at Weber operates more like a technician group than a true engineering design team. The majority of work involves CAD drawings, wiring diagrams, and system integration—not original hardware design or control systems development. While this type of work may suit engineering technicians, the job postings target engineers, which sets inaccurate expectations regarding technical depth and career development opportunities. The company would benefit from hiring more engineering technicians rather than mislabeling roles as engineering positions. When I joined, I had expected to grow into an engineering design role, but the scope of the work did not align with my degree or long-term career goals. My salary was at the higher end of average for the responsibilities involved, but not above market rate. Advancement opportunities appear limited. Raises and promotions are infrequent. The company is also slow to backfill key positions. One senior engineer retired in December 2024 with no replacement hired. Another retired in July 2025 after 40 years at the company, and no job posting has been created. In contrast, my role was posted immediately after I gave notice, despite the fact that the company likely needed a manager or experienced CAD worker more. Weber lacks formal processes and documentation. There is no structured onboarding program, no procedural training material, and no use of formal systems like Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) or Engineering Change Notices (ECNs). While Weber is a small company, this does not excuse the absence of basic process documentation or knowledge transfer systems. They do use Oracle, however. In summary, Weber's benefits and engineering infrastructure are misaligned with industry norms. While the company may be a suitable fit for technician-level roles, it is not well positioned to support the development or retention of engineering talent.
