Cengage reviews

3.0

35% would recommend to a friend

(2,396 total reviews)
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Michael Hansen

43% approve of CEO

27% positive business outlook

Cengage has an employee rating of 3.0 out of 5 stars, based on 2,396 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an average working experience there. The Cengage employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Mídia e comunicação industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

2K reviews
2.0
Feb 24, 2026
Recommend
Business Outlook

Pros

Cengage has had the tendency to employee some of the greatest individual contributors I have ever met. When the opportunity arises for me to leave the hardest thing will be leaving some amazing people. The pay is also pretty good. Probably better than most. At one point and time they worked hard to get us to an industry standard and I think they did a good job doing that.

Cons

Leadership focus and culture shift Recent leadership changes, especially within IT, have noticeably shifted priorities. The emphasis now feels heavily centered on cost reduction and efficiency metrics above all else. While those goals are understandable in any business, the way they are being executed has had a negative impact on morale and trust. There is limited focus on employee development, career growth, or fostering a strong workplace culture. Input from experienced team members does not seem to carry much weight. The message feels clear: financial optimization comes first. Micromanagement and time tracking A significant example is the requirement for detailed time tracking across IT, including salaried employees. Every hour of the workday must be accounted for. Meetings, project work, operational tasks, everything must be logged. There is no additional benefit for working beyond the standard 37.5 hour week. The tracking is not limited to project costing; it applies to the entire day. This creates an environment where employees feel they must justify their time rather than focus on delivering outcomes. Shift from outcomes to documentation The broader concern is what this represents. Performance and value increasingly feel tied to what can be documented and broken down into cost analysis rather than the quality, impact, or consistency of the work delivered. It does not matter if you consistently exceed expectations or produce high quality results. What matters is whether your time can be itemized and evaluated against cost. That dynamic changes how people experience their work. Overall impact The current environment can feel like having to prove your worth week after week, not through results, but through administrative tracking. Over time, that erodes trust and engagement.

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Cengage Response
3mo
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and for recognizing the talented colleagues and competitive pay that have positively shaped your experience. I appreciate your perspective on leadership changes, evolving priorities and the impact on morale. Time tracking, while a new burden for sure, is not intended as micromanagement. Instead, it improves our overall capacity planning, prioritization, and workload balance across IT. We recognize that how these processes are implemented matters, and we are listening closely to feedback. We are committed to fostering an environment where employees feel supported in their growth and confident that their contributions are valued beyond metrics alone. I believe we can strike a balance across rigorous financial management and an outcomes- and impact-oriented culture. Please continue sharing feedback through your HR partner so we can continue to refine this balance. Best, Morgan Wolbe, EVP Global Operations and Chief Transformation Officer
2.0
Feb 22, 2026
Recommend
Business Outlook

Pros

Good people. Great products in certain businesses. Passionate people work at Cengage who care about education and lifelong learning.

Cons

Always changing strategic direction. Weak leadership has made abrupt changes based on competitive and board pressures. Recent branding of Cengage as one logo will take away from the strong individual brands of the company. Decisions are made focused on short-term results rather than long-term success.

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Cengage Response
3mo
Thank you for sharing your perspective and for your many years of leadership at Cengage. I am glad to hear you experienced the passion of our people and the strength of our products during your time working here. In a rapidly evolving and competitive industry, change can create uncertainty. Our recent evolution from Cengage Group to Cengage is a deliberate step to present a clearer, more unified company identity that better reflects our scale, impact and long-term ambition—while continuing to support strong, differentiated product brands in the education markets we serve. We recognize the importance of clear communication and consistent strategy, especially during times of transformation. We are committed to fostering open dialogue, providing greater clarity around our direction, and balancing near-term business priorities with long-term success and employee support. Best, Michael Hansen, CEO
2.0
Feb 20, 2026
Recommend
Business Outlook

Pros

The dev team I worked on was very nice.

Cons

High turnover. Minimal contact outside immediate team. Biggest issue was a company shift to laying off all or most junior devs and replacing the with offshore teams. The offshore crew was a mixed bag. Management just informed leads to figure out how to integrate the new devs. Annual reorganizations or devastating to moral.

Viewing 37 - 39 of 2,396 Reviews

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