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Bridgewater Associates

Engaged Employer

Bridgewater Associates reviews

3.7

58% would recommend to a friend

(593 total reviews)
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Nir Bar Dea

66% approve of CEO

50% positive business outlook

Bridgewater Associates has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 593 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Bridgewater Associates employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Financial Services industry (3.6 stars).

Reviews by job title

593 reviews
2.0
Feb 6, 2015

OK for a short stint, declining

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

For a short stint this is a good place, maybe right out of college. You get to learn a billionaire's way of managing and thinking. The Principles are wise guidance. You will get pushed and learn valuable lessons about yourself to take away and use later. Transparency into all meetings, including those of CEOs and top management. Pay is good. Food and benefits outstanding.

Cons

The upper management has lost itself. Ray needs to go for the sake of his own company. His standards are untenable; no one is good enough because no one else is Ray. He nitpicks and blasts the upper management he is "mentoring", who then carry down the idea that we are all failing to middle management. That attitude then permeates through the whole company. Words and phrases like "three-pronged attack on badness" , "triage", and "hitting rock bottom" are part of the lexicon. Principled management gets twisted around. The company is largely out of touch with the outside world, in some cases even shunning it. Networking opportunities outside the company are limited to nonexistent during the course of business and weak alumni network. Diversity is joke. 90%+ of the front office positions (Research, Account Management, Trading) male. Somewhere close to 80% white. Technology in shambles. Company is pushing tech resources to develop applications and programs to promote the Principles and manage once Ray leaves, while leaving gaping holes in the stack that interacts with the financial markets.

1.0
Nov 25, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

When used professionally and respectfully, the Bridgewater principles are very powerful. My Bridgewater experience opened doors for me. When you leave Bridgewater, you will have more appreciation for life.

Cons

Discriminatory practices Preferential treatment System is rigged to create a very negative and toxic environment Culture brings out the worst in everyone. I witnessed so many good people who turned into demons. Principles are easily twisted for personal gains. Poor management. No leadership skills. Hard to believe this is a world class organization.

1.0
Aug 13, 2015

Sr Manager IT

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Generous benefits, Work life balance is a priority. Very intimate and trusting dialogue from time to time.

Cons

Its a cult. Ray has created a machine to fabricate minions to operate in his way and he has a strong belief that there is only learning through pain. There is a mountain of deeply personal, invasive and psychological prying into what makes you tick. It is very painful and is the preponderance of what your experience will be like in the first year. IF you are a technologist your skills will atrophy. It take forever to accomplish anything. The company has a very hard time making and holding to commitments.

Viewing 31 - 33 of 593 Reviews

Glassdoor has 679 Bridgewater Associates reviews submitted anonymously by Bridgewater Associates employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Bridgewater Associates is right for you.