Pros
Remote work, nice perks and some genuinely great people, for now...
Cons
HEC was acquired last year by a private equity firm, and as anticipated, the company’s culture and operations have deteriorated significantly from what was once a fantastic place to work. While I can only speak to the marketing department, the decline has been particularly evident there. Poor hiring decisions, coupled with a lack of transparency and integrity, have resulted in significant attrition—through both layoffs and voluntary departures of highly skilled team members. This has created a vicious cycle, where unqualified hires perpetuate the problem by bringing in additional underqualified individuals. While they may present themselves as approachable and supportive, certain individuals within leadership have consistently demonstrated a willingness to lie, manipulate, and scapegoat others to shield themselves from accountability. Employee well-being and trust are clearly not priorities in this environment. I am giving HEC one star because I believe the toxic culture will only worsen under the private equity firm’s focus on short-term profitability ahead of an eventual sale. This likely means more layoffs, further instability, and additional departures of talented employees. While it’s possible that other departments are unaffected, the trajectory within marketing suggests otherwise.