Absolutely thrilled to be at DOWL! - Anonymous employee DOWL Employee Review

4.0
Jul 3, 2018
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Friendly and helpful co-workers and a variety of interesting projects to work on. Competitive salaries, excellent work environment, very generous 401k plan. All in all a great place to work!

Cons

Very high deductible insurance plan takes some adjustment, but maybe typical these days for smaller companies. Still a little perplexed by the leave policy for full time employees. I understand we all work over time and while it is nice to have that acknowledged in a form of comp time, (which actually forms one's paid leave for the year), I still believe full time employees should be entitled to federal holidays and not have to earn leave for them.

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DOWL Response
7y
Welcome aboard and thanks for the positive review. DOWL constantly examines our benefits program and that includes our open leave policy for exempt employees. This policy has been in place for the legacy DOWL company since its inception almost 60 years ago. Depending on a which employee you ask, it is either a great way to recognize professionals that allows them to personally meter their work, or it is an atypical system that should be scrapped in favor of an accrual system. We have invested much energy in crafting a new policy/plan with the help of employee focus groups. Hopefully we have struck a balance that bridges the gap between the two philosophical camps - at this point we intend to roll it out in January 2019.

Explore other reviews about DOWL

5.0
Dec 5, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The company attracts highly talented and knowledgeable engineers and project managers. The peer mentorship is invaluable. The benefits package is competitive, particularly the 401(k) match and health insurance options. There's a lot of flexibility in working arrangements and hours, which is helpful for personal scheduling. Clear opportunities for career growth and advancement if you demonstrate initiative.

Cons

The company could benefit from more standardized knowledge-sharing protocols between different departments and geographic locations.

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DOWL Response
6mo
I’m so glad to hear you are using some of DOWL’s programs to your advantage and your career is being supported by some of our great people. You’ll be happy to know that we plan to expand on our supervisor/leadership and project manager training in the coming year! We try and keep the whole company apprised of high-level goings on through intranet posts and all-staff meetings, among other things. Our market sectors get a lot of autonomy, which is important for those groups to be able to run their corners of the business, but can sometimes lead to gaps in communication. Be sure to talk with your supervisor or office manager if there are specific things you wish were better communicated between departments or geographies. These dots can sometimes be connected by regular office or market sector meetings where the larger group can discuss what they’re up to.
2.0
May 27, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Met some great people that I am still in contact with - Learned new skills

Cons

- Bad management. When I told my supervisor that I was burnt out, I was told to "Smile through it" and "Be happy that I'm not working 60 hours a week like other departments. - No room to grow at all unless you are an engineer.

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DOWL Response
3w
I agree – we have great people at DOWL! As with most consultancies, our project workload does occasionally necessitate putting in additional hours so we can meet our clients’ needs. I’m sorry you feel your manager did not work with you to take advantage of some our flexible work options or coordinate workshare. The facts do not support your claim that you cannot grow unless you are an engineer. We have many people in leadership roles who do not have PEs, including Practice Area Leaders, Board Members, and most of our C-suite staff.
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