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Harvard University

Is this your company?

Great if you are looking for work/life balance; Not so great if you are looking to grow and advance your career... - Anonymous employee Harvard University Employee Review

3.0
Aug 24, 2010
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

1.) Beautiful campus and facilities (nice gym and cafeterias) 2.) Fantastic benefits, especially when it comes to vacation times 3.) Many brilliant and world class thought leaders in the faculty group 4.) Job security

Cons

1.) Extremely limited amount of opportunities for career growth 2.) Many staff become complacent with their positions and lose their motivation/ambition 3.) Some of the senior leaderships on the staff side are not the best people to work for

Explore other reviews about Harvard University

5.0
Jun 30, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

This place is huge, your mileage may vary based on which school and which department you work in - even in the same role. I have the best manager hands-down, and the team around me makes it all worth it.

Cons

Pay is slow to advance, PTO stuck at 15ish days annual, career advancement is inconsistent

2.0
Jun 30, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great Union and benefits for non-profits/higher ed. Wonderful colleagues outside of leadership!

Cons

GSD Development and Alumni Relations (under current leadership) is an incredibly toxic work environment. I didn't realize the intensity of the toll it took on my until after leaving, and I am not one to leave a negative review, but as they are hiring for several positions currently, I wish to share words of caution with applicants. Cons: - Absolutely not a safe space for anyone who is Black, brown, trans, queer, working-class, or disabled - 100% top-down direction. No room for personal exploration, initiative, or creativity. - Minimal guidance from leadership - Frequent pivots, even in the late stages of projects - Petty, immature talking behind your back by leadership - No upward mobility unless the Associate Dean or Dean like you - Deeply disingenuous comments, reflections, and feedback from leadership - Complete lack of transparency on direction, goals, etc. - Small mistakes are made cornerstones of performance evaluations, while leadership routinely missteps. Leadership never takes accountability. - Top-down policy decisions, completely lacking detail, thought, and care outside of legal ramifications - Ever-changing in-office requirements

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