Crain Communications reviews

I was bullied, gaslit and micromanaged by my team. I became physically ill from a toxic work environment. I was called fat and dumb by my manager, and talked about behind my back by them. My manager also talked badly about others to me, often calling teammates useless. I shared my concerns with other leadership and was ignored and ostracized. There's also a huge pay disparity and a colleague with a lesser title and time there, whose work I often had to fix, was being paid significantly more than me. The bullying, pay and lack of advancement opportunities was not worth my mental or physical health.

Working at Crain’s Chicago Business was a disappointing experience due to poor management, lack of structure, and a toxic work culture. There was little to no onboarding, making it difficult to get up to speed or feel supported in the role. Leadership, particularly the acting Director of Events, was ineffective—prioritizing personal interests over team success, playing favorites, and exhibiting discriminatory behavior. Collaboration was minimal, and there was a clear lack of leadership, management skills, and accountability. Diversity and inclusion are severely lacking, especially in leadership roles. It’s no surprise that the Events Manager position has remained vacant for over a year—talented professionals see the red flags and move on. If you’re looking for a workplace that values teamwork, growth, and equity, this is not the place.