Company in flux means high-risk, high-frustration, high-reward environment - Anonymous employee Getty Images Employee Review

4.0
Mar 3, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Getty, like every company, has its ups and downs. The company is currently in year 2 of a turnaround by private equity firm Carlyle and they are in search of a coherent identity. This means there are a lot of moving parts, broken processes, inefficiencies, and short-term frustrations. If you're used to getting things done fast, Getty will frustrate you. However, for the same reasons it's a ripe opportunity for the right person. If you are either an experienced individual contributor or a politically-savvy manager, you can carve out the job and environment you want and get tons of support as long as you can justify your needs in dollars. + Really, really great work/life balance + The new Product organization has strong potential + Better-than-average benefits + Carlyle is willing to spend money if you are a revenue center + Devs & PMs are royalty + Move toward agile is gratifying and helps drive innovation

Cons

- Some businesses and teams work better than others - If you are a cost center, you will probably have to justify your existence every year - The company sometimes adheres too closely to the leadership principle "do no harm" - Headcount growth is very top-heavy; executors are often lacking

Explore other reviews about Getty Images

5.0
Jun 1, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- fun culture where you get to hear talks by photographers - adopts new technologies relatively early in the game - a really great place to learn and grow as a developer

Cons

- can handle shifts/re-orgs poorly with communication, leaving employees feeling unheard and unvalued.

1
avatar
Getty Images Response
2w
Hello! Thank you for your review! We’re really glad to hear that you have a positive view of our culture, particularly the opportunity to engage with photographers and our adoption of new technologies. It’s also great to know that you found our environment supportive with opportunity for growth - we always aim to ensure employees feel that they can learn and grow within their role, and others. We also appreciate your feedback regarding communication during shifts and reorganizations. We recognize that periods of change can be challenging, and it’s important that our communication is clear, consistent, and inclusive so that employees feel heard and valued. We will work to continue to uphold our Leadership Principle of being trustworthy, transparent, and honest. If you have any other feedback you'd like to share, please feel free to email me at sarah.dudley@gettyimages.com
3.0
Jun 15, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

WFH, good overall culture. Good people.

Cons

Leadership has been slow to stay current and modern in the workplace. The business is straddled with debt from a pervious investment company that had bought Getty and gutted it. Future is uncertain.

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