- Mediocre compensation and benefits. Compensation/benefits are not the worst that are out there, but I find them to be very subpar given the amount of work required and the current cash flow. Salaries, from my experience, are at least 25% below prevailing market salaries. The benefits package is typical of what you would find at a startup, but C-4 is most certainly not a startup at this juncture. In my opinion (and that of many reviewers!), they can afford to do better. Worse yet, the company tends to throw money at company parties and other extravagances that only highlight the salary/benefits, or lack thereof.
- Lack of structure. As far as I can tell, there has always been a lack of process and structure. Granted, some of this is due to a general lack of organization amongst some current and former managers. Nonetheless, I find it telling that this issue has not been addressed properly when the company has been around for more than three years. The lack of task structure has real consequences too; some employees and groups have an extremely unreasonable workload. This is compounded by staffing priorities; C-4 keeps on hiring account managers while services departments (such as Creative, Social Media, PPC and Content) are perpetually undermanned. Anyone with agency experience will tell you that concentrating too much on client relations at the expense of client services is a recipe for disaster.
- High turnover rate. There are not many employees that have been with the company for more than two years and in fact a lot of new hires leave after less than a year. Turnover has been especially high at the middle management level, and as a result most employees promoted to manager-level positions lack the experience internally (and sometimes externally) to effect change and to perform to the level that is needed. And those that do have the experience and ability usually leave before long.
- Poor leadership. All of the issues I previously discussed are a result of poor leadership at the senior management level. I personally agree with those who have described their behavior as “erratic” and “stubborn”. They are too distrustful to delegate meaningfully or to properly take into account input that does not conform to their views. Worst of all, ownership does not appear to be interested in creating a company culture or mission based on values; I have to admit that the only motivations I see from them are on growing the company through client acquisition (i.e. making money). As a result we have seen principles fall by the wayside that inhibit not only employee morale but also sustainable success.
