Tesla is an innovative, high-tech, American manufacturing company that produces electric cars, solar panels, and clean energy products. In 2020, it was the most attractive employer for engineering students seeking jobs in the US. Tesla employees work on state-of-the-art technology and enjoy Tesla benefits in addition to good salaries.
Originally located in Palo Alto, California, Tesla’s headquarters are now in Austin, Texas. The company was named in tribute to the great electrical engineer and inventor Nikola Tesla. Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning founded Tesla, Inc. in 2003, but the current CEO and majority shareholder is Elon Musk.
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Tesla has a 3.6-star rating on Glassdoor, with employees commending Tesla benefits and a great work environment. But what are Tesla employee perks, and is Tesla really the most attractive employer in the tech industry? We’ve compiled a list of benefits and researched Tesla’s work environment to bring you a detailed report about what it’s like to work at Tesla.
Tesla Average Salary, Benefits, and Employee Perks
Tesla’s compensation and benefits packages play a significant role in attracting and retaining employees. According to Statista, Tesla employs over 99,000 workers who are highly skilled in their respective fields. Tesla’s workforce has increased over 100-fold since 2010, and it seems to be continuing the trend of rapid growth.
To attract top talent, Tesla’s employee benefits and perks need to be attractive, so Tesla provides lucrative salaries and employee benefit packages to attract and retain top tech industry experts. Below is an overview of Tesla’s salaries and employee benefits packages.
Tesla Salaries
The average salary for Tesla employees is $102,000, according to PayScale. However, individual Tesla salaries vary depending on the role and job description. For example, a software engineer at Tesla earns about $115,661 annually, while a process engineer takes home approximately $87,268.
Although employee reviews don’t rank Tesla among the best-paying employers, Tesla employee salaries are solid and often come with raises and bonuses in addition to a wide range of benefits and perks.
Tesla Employee Benefits
Tesla benefits complement the company’s attractive compensation packages. Most Tesla benefits packages include health insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, retirement plans, wellness programs, and paid time off.
Health Insurance
Tesla provides comprehensive health insurance for its employees. The health insurance policy is one of the best in the automotive industry because of its extensive options. Tesla’s health benefits cover prescription drugs, basic healthcare, medical supplies, hospital accommodation, and ambulance fees.
Full-time employees and interns are also eligible for dental insurance and vision insurance on their first day of work. Spouses and children of employees can also access Tesla medical benefits, as well as dental and vision benefits.
Life Insurance
All full-time employees get Tesla’s basic life insurance benefits. In the event of your death, your beneficiaries are paid a lump sum of twice your yearly salary, up to $1,000,000. Employees can purchase additional life insurance benefits up to $2,000,000 but not higher than eight times their salary.
Paid Parental Leave
Tesla understands that new parents need time off to bond with and take care of their children. Employees are eligible for up to 16 weeks of paid family leave. New fathers can get six weeks of paid time off and new mothers can get nine weeks. Tesla has parental leave benefits for birth parents and adoptive parents.
Retirement and Financial Plans
Tesla provides its employees with an array of financial plans to help secure a better future. For Tesla retirement benefits, you can choose between traditional and Roth 401(k) plans. The employee stock purchase program (ESPP) gives employees a 15 percent discount on Tesla stocks.
Long-Term Disability Insurance
Tesla’s long-term disability insurance benefits are automatically given to employees at no cost. Tesla will pay up to two-thirds of your monthly salary after you have been unable to work due to disability for 180 days. This benefit is capped at $15,000 per month.
Short-Term Disability Insurance
Tesla’s short-term disability insurance is also free to employees. Tesla will pay 66.7 percent of your salary for up to six months. Employees receiving short-term disability pay can receive a maximum of $2,308 per week.
Wellness Programs
Tesla understands that working in the fast-paced auto industry can take a toll on your body. Through Tesla’s wellness program, employees get a discounted membership to the fitness app “Gympass,” which comes with live-streamed fitness classes and personal training sessions. Tesla also has onsite gym facilities for employees.
Paid Time Off
Tesla’s time off policy is different for salaried and hourly workers. Many salaried workers have unlimited PTO at Tesla, but they will need to get time off approved by a manager. Some employees like the flexibility of this policy, while others find it challenging to figure out what is an acceptable amount of paid time off to take per year.
Training Programs
Whether you work at the Tesla Gigafactory, company headquarters, or any Tesla manufacturing facility, you must attend regular training programs. Tesla introduces various training programs to improve employee skills, teach new technology, or groom new hires. These training programs allow employees to grow professionally and acquire new tech skills.
Tesla training programs are also available for potential employees with no relevant education or work experience. For example, the Tesla Start Program is an intensive, full-time, 16-week curriculum to prepare students to work in Tesla’s manufacturing and automotive departments. At the end of this program, students can work for Tesla or another auto manufacturer.
Tesla Bonuses
Tesla employees who receive annual bonuses can get anywhere from $3,750 to $27,500, with an average annual bonus of $8,858, according to PayScale. PayScale reports that the highest bonuses go to senior software engineers, while production associates receive the lowest annual bonuses.
In addition to annual bonuses, Tesla offers signing bonuses to lure top talent in the industry. A survey by Comparably found that 50 percent of the 12 Tesla employees surveyed received a signing bonus ranging between $1,000 and $5,000. Further employee reviews suggested that employees with a master’s degree can receive up to $10,000 in signing bonuses.
Tesla Employee Discount
Tesla employees are eligible for up to 35 percent off on all Tesla Motors apparel. Unfortunately, there isn’t a Tesla employee discount on vehicles. However, if you are in a position where you drive a company car, you will get the chance to drive a Tesla at work.
Other Tesla Perks
Other perks for Tesla employees include childcare discounts, business travel insurance, stock market consultation services, and overtime compensation. Additional incentives include a commuter stipend, legal services, and pet insurance. Tesla employee perks are always changing, so be sure to read your job offer carefully to see what your specific perks are.
What’s It Like to Work at Tesla
Working at Tesla requires technical skills, knowledge of the company’s products, and a passion for innovation and problem-solving. Tesla employee reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed indicate that working at Tesla is demanding, but that the fast-paced work environment provides learning opportunities to advance your career.
Below is a list of key pros and cons of working for Tesla, as well as an in-depth explanation of the work environment and work-life balance based on employee reviews of the company.
Pros of Working at Tesla
- Strong benefits package. In online reviews of working at Tesla, many employees report that their Tesla benefits package is a huge perk of working at the company.
- Fast-paced work environment. Tesla employees move through projects quickly, so they don’t get bored working on slow-moving projects.
- High expectations. Managers have high expectations for employees, which makes employees feel good about the work they complete.
- Talented coworkers. Tesla employees have great things to say about their coworkers. In various online reviews, many employees say that their coworkers are helpful, supportive, and intelligent.
- Green company goals. People feel good about working at Tesla because they are helping to move the electric car industry forward and improve other green technologies that reduce the need to burn fossil fuels.
Cons of Working at Tesla
- Long hours. Many employees report that they need to work more than 40 hours a week to complete the projects on their to-do lists.
- Working on weekends is sometimes required. Because of the fast-paced schedule, some deadlines require workers to take work home with them on the weekend.
- Low salary compared with similar companies. While Tesla’s benefits packages are good, the actual salaries are low when compared to similar roles at other organizations.
- Inconsistent management. Reviews suggest that managers aren’t trained to lead teams, so there is a lot of variability in how employees are managed. Because the company is growing quickly, there have been many changes to the management structure in the past few years, which has led to some management vacuums.
- Few set processes lead to confusion. Across several departments, employees stated that a lack of documented processes made it difficult to know how best to complete tasks and communicate across teams.
Tesla Work Environment
Tesla received an overall 3.6 out of 5-star rating on Glassdoor, where employees regarded the work environment as challenging yet rewarding. Additionally, employees appreciate the learning opportunities and the chance to work with an amazing team of experts in engineering and other fields.
According to Tesla’s career page, the company promotes a safe, innovative, and inclusive work culture in order to provide a collaborative work environment for its employees. However, some former employees left Tesla due to long hours, lack of job security, and pressure to deliver on unrealistic goals, according to a Business Insider report.
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Tesla Work-Life Balance
Tesla says it values work-life balance to ensure that employees stay productive and motivated in a high-pressure environment. The company does give employees unlimited paid vacation days and significant family leave. Depending on your position, time off may need to be approved by the management team.
On the other hand, employees report working long hours to meet company deadlines. For example, when the company is working on a new model or increasing production at the battery factories, you will likely experience long working hours.
How to Work for Tesla
Tesla is an attractive employer because the company is among the largest manufacturers worldwide, producing well-known plug-in electric vehicles among other products. So how can you work for Tesla? To get a job at Tesla, you’ll need to show off your technical skills and passion for innovation and show you have what it takes to succeed in a high-pressure work environment.
Jobs You Can Get at Tesla
Some of the best-known jobs at Tesla are engineering positions, but there are plenty of jobs in other fields at Tesla that pay well. Some jobs at Tesla beyond engineering positions are data analyst, service technician, and production associate.
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Engineering Manager | $200,804 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $131,836 |
| Quality Engineer | $122,346 |
| Operations Manager | $108,244 |
| Data Analyst | $103,944 |
| Training Coordinator | $93,942 |
| Production Supervisor | $93,553 |
| Equipment Maintenance Technician | $83,040 |
| Service Technician | $78,995 |
| Production Associate | $57,037 |
Should You Get a Job at Tesla?
Yes, working at Tesla is a career-changing chance for you to work at a world-renowned manufacturer of clean energy products and electric vehicles. Tesla benefits for employees include learning opportunities, plenty of paid time off, and an opportunity to work with an amazing team of professionals.
According to Tesla reviews on Glassdoor, 65 percent of current and former employees would recommend working at Tesla to a friend. Tesla has a wide range of career opportunities, so you are likely to find a role that fits your skills. Whether you are a software engineer, delivery employee, technician, or production assistant, there’s room for you to flourish at Tesla.
Tesla Benefits FAQ
Yes, Tesla offers good benefits to attract the best professionals in the industry. You will receive comprehensive health insurance, paid parental leave, regular training, unlimited vacation days, stock market opportunities, and more. The company’s goal is to ensure all employees are comfortable.
Yes, working at Tesla comes with a good salary and comprehensive benefits. Tesla is the largest manufacturer of electric cars and other game-changing products in technology. You will learn a lot and work with a team of highly-skilled colleagues. Tesla is a great employer for any innovator in tech.
Yes, getting a job at Tesla is not easy. The company receives thousands of applications and maintains a high hiring standard. In fact, you may be a great candidate and still fail to pass through the hiring process. That’s why good interview preparation is essential for all Tesla applicants.
Who is eligible for Tesla benefits?
Full-time Tesla employees are eligible for most benefits, and part-time employees are eligible for some benefits. Benefits will also differ for freelancers, interns, and apprentices. Parental leave benefits have additional conditions, and workers need to have worked for a certain number of months to earn them. Tesla adheres to federal laws in each state and country when it comes to employee benefits and perks.
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