Major reorganizations every 18-24 months, or 2-3 months after an upper management change. Everybody re-apply for your job, unless you're a contractor, and then you can just sweat. Minor re-orgs in between every 6-9 months. This leads to a *lot* of churn - the lower end of the bell curve usually gets cut (but some always survive), and the upper end either take Involuntary Retirement, find jobs outside TVA, or both. This results in a "race to the lower-middle", since high performers (on a national/global scale) don't want to relocate there, middle performers walk in the door with an exit strategy (if they're smart), and lower performers mainly work on the equivalent of getting tenure.

TVA was very great place to learn and understand the importance of being safe and environmental aware of the land, water and air pollution. The culture was great working with a group of people with the same values often makes a days work less stressful. Management made sure the workers understood the procedures and followed guidelines for a task to be safely done. The hardest part of the job sometimes can be just the obstacles or hazards that change with the weather or working conditions. A typical day for me can be from dealing with oil or water spills to using a vacuum truck to dispose of conbustible dust or the dissposal of oil and oil rags.

A typical day was new construction of transmission lines (very routine). I did learn about reading blue prints in which TVA prints are very different from most utilities. The general foremen do an excellent job. I loved my co-workers most of which were very young that I came to think of as my kids. Since 2005 I was part of the hiring process for TVA leading the "boot camp" eliminating candidates not physically capable of transmission work. Knowing the men that were hired from day one I became very close to these young men. The hardest part of the job was trying to run up and down towers side by side with men 20+ years younger than me. I enjoy every aspect of line work be it transmission, distribution, substation, ect.....

TVA was the best company I worked for.  The worker people are the best.  
The people in the company are very family oriented and inclusive to accepting each other.  I have lifelong friends from TVA.

The benefits and salaries were great but they did not keep up with cost of living increases so the salaries and benefits when I left are mediocre.

The work was interesting and the nuclear safety culture was good.  The company made great strives in promoting women but have not improved enough on people of color.

Overall TVA is a good place to work and the Tennessee Valley is a beautiful place to live,

TVA has taught me to expand my computor skills, gave me the ability to express myself as an individual while working with others. Showed me ways of leadership. Time management.

Co-workers were always helpfull and willing to help the commuinty as well. We did an several projects for the community, ex; Angel tree children.

Hardest part was trying to meet the dead lines, which we did but it was stressful sometimes. I always enjoyed working TVA as it was a learning experience for me each day.

What is the best part of working at the company?
I really enjoy my job. The experience of working on so many different issues and seeing them through. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Working long hours when really it should be scheduled better. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Not the best.  Seeing our plant is slated to be shut down by 2028.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Currently assigned to the scr. Where I insure 24 analyzers and probes are working properly.

The upper management is incompetent, at best.  They seriously lack any type of management skills what so ever.  The "good 'ol boy" system allowed these individuals to move up without any kind of training or understanding of their job requirements.  Their lack of people skills has placed the employees in a situation where there is little to no leadership whatsoever.  TVA has changed from what it used to be.  The lack of benefits, retirement, etc., has significantly tarnished the appeal for gaining/maintaining employment with the company.

I have worked at TVA for 15 years the only reason I stay is I’m 55 years old and want to retire. It is hard to start over again but I’m ready to leave. The union is the worst thing at TVA and sorry management . There is not a culture of work hard and go above and beyond, because the union workers will say you are working to hard and breaking down contions. Go figure that is a sorry attitude when you are being payed more than you do. Look elsewhere be proud of doing a good job.

Working as a contractor with TVA was always exciting and interesting to me, there was always something to do and friends were made daily. Tva employees are some of the hardest working men and women that you will ever meet, they are always there to lend a hand and help if they are asked, they are more than qualified to do almost any job that they are faced with, they are filling work orders daily to satisfy their customers.

My department has had 8 mngr's in a 7 yr period.  It is like a revolving door.  The current mngr asks for ideas to solve the current issues, but when presented with solutions that will actually solve the problems...the answer is no.  That being said, the solutions are not expensive or even time consuming.  If you do not have a college degree, don't ever plan on moving out of the worker-bee state.  

"A college degree makes you a better person"  --direct quote form my department manager

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