Cengage reviews

3.0

34% would recommend to a friend

(2,397 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 2,397 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
1.0
Apr 24, 2015

Outsourced Office Employee

Anonymous employee
Recommend
Business Outlook

Pros

Benefits, Peers, and Decent Severance Package

Cons

Just recently found out that my job, along with about 20 others, is being outsourced to India. True the other company is based in the US but my role is going their office in India. Not a very good feeling to know that when you are loyal to a company you can still lose your job and not because you lack skill, knowledge, or did anything wrong, but just to save the company a little money in cheap labor. It's so hypocritical of Cengage to represent themselves as being on the frontline for the American Worker and then clean house internally (PR Newswire : Cengage Learning Joins Obama Administration for Upskill America Summit, Announces Expanded Commitments to Support Front-Line Workers). Cengage is in the business to make money first and educating people is secondary.

2.0
Dec 11, 2014

Be open and be transparent

Recommend
Business Outlook

Pros

My colleagues are generally really great. They want to contribute and work hard. Our direct manager and their immediate supervisor are good, realistic people who think creatively about how to best get our jobs done effectively and efficiently despite obstacles.

Cons

Senior/ upper management does not seem well versed in the daily work that needs to be done, or the impact of senior level decisions on the people doing the work. There is a real disconnect between senior/ upper management and the lower level people. There is also a disconnect in priorities. There are many perks that make no sense to me in this era of fiscal belt-tightening, especially when the perks are unevenly applied across offices.

2.0
May 20, 2025
Recommend
Business Outlook

Pros

-My direct people managers were all fantastic, competent, caring people -Good work/life balance

Cons

Since Apollo Capital's $500m investment several years ago, there has been consistent pressure to cut costs by swapping seasoned professionals for offshore contractors. Leadership continues to spout propaganda about the product's quality being the same, which isn't believable to those in the know. As employee morale plummets (25% engagement drop over 3 years), leadership repeatedly mouths platitudes about getting better at managing change and this all being in service of making the company operate with 'simplicity'. Leadership waves giant reorgs into existence, eliminates hundreds of roles without a clear, detailed plan for how things are going to look after.

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Cengage Response
1y
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and for your more than ten years of service at Cengage Group. I appreciate your perspective and the thoughtfulness of your feedback. Organizational transformation—particularly when it involves changes to operating models and workforce structure—is complex and often difficult. These decisions are not made lightly. We are navigating a diverse set of business units, technologies, and team structures, and while we are committed to simplifying how we operate, we understand that this cannot be achieved overnight. It requires thoughtful planning, clear communication, and input from those closest to the work. We also recognize the complexity involved in shifting to a new operating model and the importance of preserving institutional knowledge throughout that process. At the same time, we believe that integrating new perspectives—whether through internal mobility or external partnerships—can help us innovate and adapt in a rapidly changing environment. That balance is not always easy, and we are continuing to evaluate how we maintain critical knowledge while evolving our capabilities. Regarding communication during recent organizational changes, we understand that these moments can create uncertainty, and we remain focused on providing clarity and consistency while maintaining alignment with our values. We aim to strike the right balance between transparency and enabling employees to stay focused on their work. We remain committed to building a stronger, more resilient organization. Thank you again for your contributions during your time at Cengage. —Michael Hansen, CEO
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