High Aspirations Unmet in Practice, Toxic Leadership, Great Peers - Anonymous employee Cox Automotive Employee Review

2.0
25 Oct 2023
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Without a doubt, the individual contributors at Cox are hard-working, skilled, creative, and earnest. I would work with these people again any time, anywhere. They're the kind of people you want in the trenches with you. The benefits are decent but not exceptional, but the pay is outstanding.

Cons

Leadership has a bit of a borderline personality issue. They oscillate between their aspirational platitudes and attempts at sincerity and a competitive toxicity I haven't seen elsewhere. They seem to relish in giving stretch goals you'll never achieve and then punishing you afterward for not achieving them. When you tell them you're in over your head, there's no coaching. There's no rallying the troops to help. They look at you with dead eyes while you're begging for a life preserver, and they say, "Yes, that water does look deep. You'd better figure out how to swim." Cox Automotive seems successful despite its leadership, not because of it. The "work-life balance" that Cox touts is a lie. The unlimited PTO is a teasing mirage only enjoyed by executive leadership and senior directors. Vacation after vacation on their calendars, while their subordinates work overtime. They set their people up for failure and then complain when they fail. Don't be fooled by the great pay. There's a cost associated with it that you don't want.

Explore other reviews about Cox Automotive

5.0
7 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great work life balance, unlimited pto

Cons

No real concept of a promotion. All mobility is done through application and interviewing.

1.0
26 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Benefits are good. PTO Day 1.

Cons

No advancement opportunity. They claim they hire internally, but they don't seem to adhere to that. Out of nowhere, hours were cut from 40 hours to 32 for our particular shift due to "business needs". However it seems like we are rarely caught up at the end of the night. The same position on another shift did not lose nearly as many hours. Then, there was a location wide meeting where they bragged about record sales and record profits. Seems pretty insensitive to do in front of employees who lost over 20% of their pay. The manager comes off as completely harsh and rude. When you fill out a survey stating facts, they are met with a dismissive tone followed by, "you know this is not true". Training is non existent. Other underpaid employees have to train you so it's like a game of telephone where the training contains just a little less information or a little more incorrect information each time. Pay for other positions in the organization is below average. When applying for those positions internally, they want to base pay on your current role instead of based on qualifications for the job being offered. There is a pay range listed for jobs, don't expect to get anywhere near the top and you are LUCKY to see the middle of that range. Pay raises are not anywhere near inflation rates, so if you stay more than a year you are losing money.

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