Express Scripts, CVS Rank in Worst Companies for Workers

Express Scripts has been named the worst company to work for in the United States, while CVS ranked 12th on the same list.

24/7 Wall St. compiled the rankings using data from career website Glassdoor, which gathers ratings on more than 400,000 companies globally.

The list identified the 12 US companies with the lowest employee ratings, ranging from 2.3 to 2.7 out of a possible 5 points. The average company rating on Glassdoor is 3.2.

With the worst average rating at 2.3, Express Scripts had 1100 employee reviews on Glassdoor, and the CEO approval rating was 28% among them, according to 24/7 Wall St.

Only 28% also said they would encourage a friend to work for the company.

The most common issues cited with Express Scripts were employees feeling overwhelmed or rushed at work. They also reported feeling afraid that they might lose their job.

Corporate communications vice president Brian Henry disputed the ranking, saying that many employees find their job at Express Scripts rewarding.

He noted that the Glassdoor employee reviews are anonymous, and they can include “untrue statements.”

“It has a flawed methodology and is without merit,” he told Pharmacy Times.

Express Scripts offers many opportunities, and employees work together as a team, Henry said. He also cited several accolades that Express Scripts has received, including a Candidate Experience Award in 2014, local awards for being a “Best Place to Work,” and recognition for its support of employing veterans and those active in the Guard and Reserve.

“As an organization, we also continuously look for ways to improve our culture-whether it be in the form of new development programs, flexible work schedules, or employee recognition,” Henry said.

Express Scripts uses employee engagement surveys to get feedback and make improvements, he added.

“We appreciate all of the feedback we receive-good and not so good,” Henry said. “It makes us a better company.”

Meanwhile, CVS Health, with a rating of 2.7, notched the last spot on the list of 12 lowest-ranking companies in terms of employee satisfaction. According to 24/7 Wall St., only 40% of the 4700 employees who gave a review on Glassdoor approved of CVS CEO Larry Merlo.

The most common complaints were about CVS stores being understaffed and employees having too much work to do in the allotted time. Employees also reported that their managers had “unreasonable expectations.”

Director of Public Relations for CVS Mike DeAngelis told Pharmacy Times that CVS is proud of its workplace programs and policies that “help make our company one of the best places to work.”

“We do not believe 24/7 Wall St.’s narrow survey reflects the experience of our 200,000 colleagues,” DeAngelis said.

He also provided a long list of awards that CVS has received, including the National Business Group on Health’s Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Award, the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce’s Exemplary Worksite Health Award, and Fortune’s ranking of CVS on its Most Admired Companies list.

“We encourage our employees to provide feedback on their work experiences at CVS Health so that we can continue to enhance our workplace,” DeAngelis said.

24/7 Wall St. noted that both CVS Health and Express Scripts have seen economic growth. Express Scripts’ net income has increased each year since fiscal 2010, and CVS Health shares rose about 10% thus far in 2015, according to the report.

Glassdoor community expert Scott Dobroski told 24/7 Wall St. that higher-rated companies tend to have a clear vision from management, room for growth, and work that affects the company’s bottom line.

Dobroski noted that most of the 12 companies in the list require employees to interact with customers on a daily basis, which could affect workers’ satisfaction in the job.

24/7 Wall St.’s report only included companies that had at least 1000 employee reviews, were based in the United States, and had recent financial information available on the company.