You’ve Been Warned - Utility Employee American Electric Power Employee Review

If you’re looking for a workplace that reflects the future of work—collaborative, flexible, inclusive—AEP is not it. This company is rapidly regressing into a model of leadership and culture that feels ripped straight from 1980: authoritarian, rigid, oppressive, and utterly soul-crushing. For context, I’m a current employee, now in my tenth year with AEP. Just five years ago, I would’ve recommended this company without hesitation. Back then, words like collaborative, caring, flexible, and inclusive genuinely applied to AEP as a whole. Culture was more than corporate jargon—it was prioritized, nurtured, and visible in daily work life. But that version of AEP is gone. And no, this isn’t JUST about RTO (return-to-office policies)—it’s deeper. The toxicity starts at the top and seeps down through every level. Our current leader, Bill, has made it abundantly clear that he sees himself as the smartest person in the room, with nothing to learn and no patience for dialogue or dissent. Under his direction, innovation is stifled, morale is plummeting, and employees are treated like cogs—expected to perform without question or creativity. He’s cultivating a culture where employees aren’t inspired—they’re angry, confused, and drained. Where individuality is suppressed, and obedience is prized above all else. It’s disheartening to witness. If you’re considering AEP and you have other options, run—don’t walk. Most of those who remain are either near retirement, tied to benefits, or quietly planning their exit…or perhaps hoping it will get better. Sure, there are a few who may welcome this return to top-down authoritarian management, but for anyone seeking a healthy, forward-thinking work environment, this is not the place. You’re not missing out. Move along. There are better workplaces out there—ones where your voice matters and your well-being is respected.