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CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)

Engaged Employer

Toxic Work Environment, Burnout, Horrible Leadership - HR Director, Consulting and Outsourcing CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) Employee Review

1.0
Aug 25, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Decent Benefits A couple of good coworkers Free beverages when you go into the office

Cons

The CLA Talent Solutions team (HR Consulting and Outsourcing) is a psychologically unsafe and hostile work environment, where you will live in fear of getting fired once the leadership turns on you (and they always do). They are constantly changing the goal post, there is no process/procedure, and expectations constantly change - and then you are reprimanded when you don't meet the expectations you were not aware of. As long as Dave Hickman is the leader of the team, you will eventually be turned on and let go or pushed out. You will not be told this in the interview process, but you are required to log 44.5 hours/week, but will consistently work more then that. They will require you to go into the office even if they claim the role is remote. They will burn you out with no mercy and fire you if you complain. They will also micromanage your hours, ignore your feedback, and not offer any support. There is no "team" on this team; you are on your own - rarely in contact with coworkers/leadership, unless you in trouble. This team has consistently had 100%+ turnover since 2021, due to constant firings and burning people out, but they will tell you it was all "healthy turnover" and they were building the "right team" - laughable. And don't get me started on the lack of advancement opportunities once you get to the Director level - the only opportunity from there is to sell HR services, and trust me, this culture at CLA is not set up to do that. You do not want to sell their overpriced, bait and switch services, eventually your conscience will get to you. You will not be offered opportunities to personally grow and develop, there is no support for advancing your skills. Do yourself a favor and work at another consulting company, or just work as internal HR somewhere else. There is no balance in this role, your family and personal life will suffer, you will need to take a mental health leave just to survive. Oh and CLA as a whole? Unethical. Top heavy. Accounting professionals don't respect HR professionals. HUGE organization with no true space for employee voice. A conglomerate of acquired businesses.

Explore other reviews about CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)

5.0
Jul 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Culture and mentoring programs with teams

Cons

Compensation appears to be stunted even for promotion

1.0
Jul 6, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good thing national teams allow remote work opportunity because there's not enough space in the local offices anyway, but you might just end up working after hours more often than not.

Cons

No pay raises year after year which is an actual pay decrees when taking into account inflation, fake "flexible" PTO, required to work 45 hours a week without any overtime, raises, bonus, or any financial reward which actually matters. You have to do ridiculous workday feedbacks, and self review every quarter but it means nothing because they don't even consider the feed back you've received when laying off. It is your job to find work, and when there is't enough work for you it's your fault, not leadership's. You get promised new projects and they are always delayed for months at a time and many times nothing even comes out of it. Pretentious company that likes to call itself "family" - only red flags here.

4
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