Pros
Perkins+Will has many intelligent individuals having extensive knowledge or impressive project experience not to mention there are so many pleasant and unique personalities. The firm places huge importance on continuing education so there are always ample ways for LEED APs to fulfill their CMP as well as in-house IIDA and AIA CEUs. Plus there are numerous great tools for personal enrichment (Rosetta Stone, Lynda.com and GlobeSmart) that employees have access to. The research done on their Precautionary List and all of the efforts they are undertaking with material health is extremely admirable (the NIH Asthmagen study, the Building Product Transparency label with Construction Specialties, and more) I'm very proud to be a part of a design firm that places importance on these issues and goes the next level to raise awareness about it and is actively seeking to make real change happen.
Cons
Despite the Pros, morale is very low. Many employees are spread too thin and overworked being shuffled from one project with intense deadlines to the next without much breathing room in between. Unrealistic deadlines are typical making it difficult to attend any of the in-house learning opportunities or spending time using Rosetta Stone and the other tools. Work/life balance is lopsided so those with families lose out as well as the people who can't spend an evening going on a date or a weekend with friends because they are always on a deadline. Another major Con, which is no secret, is that there are a lot of principals. Theoretically, with as many as we have, we should have a lot more projects lined up and be one very busy office! I often wonder how that really affects the projects we pursue, the negotiations and how PMs have to navigate to compensate and the lack of/very low bonuses that get issued to the staff. (This is one area where the firm isn't so transparent). On top of that the opportunities for advancement are limited to teacher's pet types in the office; We need more to look forward to than beer Friday's...