Inept and ignorant management ruins legacy: From Gaslighting to Harassment to ruining entire careers - Project Manager Monks Employee Review

1.0
Mar 15, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There's really nothing positive to say anymore at this point.

Cons

- Traps talented people with false facades and locks them in by making them believe in a dream so they eventually start tolerating a reality of mistreat (or flee) - Numbers over people, at all times - Some teams are triple allocated for years (with casualties along the way), some are just really bored for months or years whilst middle management tries to solve it smartly but is being blocked by higher management that doesn't enable them to solve the problem - People drop out with burnouts or other psychological strains on a regular basis - People are deliberately being kept small and then bashed for being just that - Your performance will be based on your failures instead of your achievements regardless of how great they are - Some higher management dudes have quite some entries in their HR file regarding (sexual) harassment but question why there’s only so few women left - Gaslighting is common practice to justify low salary and keep your responsibilities restricted - Oblivious to any sort of feedback even if it's recurring issues and the feedback is coming from all directions (e.g. about internal communication) - Horrible (non-existent) internal communication flows let you find out bad news in newspapers instead of from your leads - Ego driven management, oblivious to any feedback and starting to believe in their own lies - Ignoring clear signs of e.g. overwork, even if raised and would never officially address the topic but rather keep people silent who would - Most problems persist just for politics and management doesn't even try to cover it – I've seen written, explicit examples of that regarding a multitude of disgusting things (e.g. salaries, promotions, even incoming work or strategic decisions) for the sake of feeding someone else's ego - Senseless recruitment strategy (e.g. laying off people that ask for a fair salary and backfilling new talent that'll earn even more than that due to new market standards or leaving gaps wide open for months until problems that are too big to ignore even for the most disengaged director start to occur) - Legacy Monks act like they're (uncaring) gods and will do everything in their power to hinder the company from actually levelling up by keeping new people small so they don't lose their power - It's literally a modern day slavery machinery ruining the lives of many not only professionally but also permanently by long abuse or overwork causing an irreversible, toxic relationship to work in general - Due to the multitude of mentioned abusive tactics, many employees need psychological counselling which they gracefully provide for free via OpenUp - Extremely high churn–you'll have goodbyes every week and need to say hi to new people all the time who get laid off the month after... - No investment in talent but expecting the extra mile at all times - Salaries in general are gross and people who have the power to change that are being paid enough to keep their mouths shut or look away for their own good - Unbalanced pay when it comes to their mergers without any efforts to even that out so you may end up in a team of people doing the same things as you but earn 30% more - They initiated a „Salary Calibration“ to address such issue (amongst other similar ones within internal MM teams) 3 years ago but the salary benchmark analyst silently disappeared and the calibration efforts did too without any communication around it - They use the same narrative since 4 years when it comes to salaries and promotions (“it's not the right time, the company is not in a good position”) - Most career trajectories are based on politics and not on talent, achievements or value - Speaking up for others will land you hate from management instead of encouragement - Showing courage in unacceptable situations will have management doubt your trust in them instead of being appreciative - Trying to proactively help with problems or providing recommendations to improve certain things will get you into trouble instead of an invitation to the table

Explore other reviews about Monks

5.0
Jun 29, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

It's been such a pleasure, joy and fresh air to work here. I'm respected, as is my work life balance.

Cons

Leadership hasn't always been consistent with their words and actions, making it feel scary and tumultuous at times.

2.0
Jul 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

At the time I came on board, EPs were paid well. There are good departments there, like the post department run by Andrew Bell.

Cons

I was interviewed for a staff EP role. After months of interviewing and scheduling delays, I was a final candidate...and then Monks had a hiring freeze and loads of layoffs. It was weeks later they said I should come in as a contract EP. Then, they promised a client something they've never delivered before, and I was lucky to be the person on the team who had actually done it before. But Monks gets in their own way, with antiquated agency hierarchy. Account Managers and Creative Directors are given great governance even if they don't know how to do the job. They disregard production, as if EPs are out to undermine them. They believe EPs are now allowed to be the creative leads, even if they don't have skill or experience to do their own job. There are no thank you's when you save them or solve their problems. Upper Management is useless and absent. You have to sort out how to get things done. Onboarding is non existing. No recognition is given to those who actually did the work, because Monks execs will take it as their own, even if they were absent throughout the entire campaign. Essentially, the main reason why it's a turnstile with layoffs and quitting (even today in 2026) is due to lack of organization, respect and kindness. Even the recruiters are awol and out to lunch. They can't be bothered to return calls. Clients seem unaware, which is another issue because somehow Monks continues to get client work despite the internal turmoil. Inside there is favoritism, clique behaviour, overabundance of bureaucratic unnecessary systems and management hires that are ill equipped to lead...especially at the very top. Kids deal with clients. Elders are those who never really mastered good leadership. It was a very disappointing run with Monks, and many former employees and contractors still have a bad taste from their time spent there, including me.

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