Toxicity is high. Morale is low. But the pay is great.
Pros
- Great benefits. - Great pay (but negotiate because raises don't come easy.) - Cost of living pay increase - Profit sharing - Great ideas for employee growth - Social events - Flexible hours - Telework options
Cons
Management of projects is more important than morale amongst the troops. It's easy to feel like a worker-bee in a beehive. This particular beehive considers itself top of the industry despite Aquent, Booz, CGI, even Accenture running circles around them in the same town and internationally. In this particular beehive, employee suggestions that are contrary to project leads are NOT welcomed as straight shooters who want to get the job done with little politics, mind games or micromanagement. Aquilent encourages the "big fish, small pond" mentality amongst its management. Many leads who do not have the mentality have left out of frustration in the last few months. Project higher-ups are limited by their arrogant, limited view and experience as most of the management are ex-government workers who were pigeon-holed. They do not appreciate experience or skills they are not familiar with and therefore have a difficult time allocating certain skill sets they are not familiar with or ... feel threatened by and cannot micromanage. Employee internal & external training and development programs are great ideas and very poorly executed. Project higher-ups don't encourage employees to get certifications even if it benefits the project unless you're part of the cliquish culture. The same cliquish culture that make the otherwise fun social events a struggle in human interaction. Asking for direction and the lay of the land is frowned upon in this sink-or-swim environment. Those who drink the kool-aid submit to poor decisions and the "leadership" of higher-ups. Aquilent uses the term "worry transfer" when referring to the way it takes on government client tasks. It also takes on the clients culture and inability to make the most efficient decisions where it's no longer problem solving, it's work-around creation to maintain the status quo. HR is there to protect the company not help employees feel valued as they are part of the clique-ish and elitist culture who look at employees as bodies and worker-bees not resources. It's difficult to jump on other projects despite what they have you believe as well. Last con: This isn't the first review or expressed opinion stating the aforementioned long standing issues. Left to fester, the company morale will continue to tank, the attrition, currently at 25%, will increase and all the hard and good work will begin to diminish. Also word travels fast in this industry.
