This is a long one so get a snack and get comfy!!!!
Working at Publicis Media was incredibly challenging, especially on high-volume client accounts with insufficient resources. Concerns about workload sustainability were dismissed—one colleague was even told not to raise them in team meetings. I was assigned the most demanding client pods and expected to keep up without adequate support.
As a woman of color, I experienced disproportionately harsh scrutiny compared to peers. Minor mistakes were treated as major failures, while others were given more grace. I was accused of being a poor mentor, despite my junior teammates expressing deep appreciation for my support and crediting me with helping them grow. My reporting was nitpicked, while a white junior colleague with similar outputs was regularly praised.
Despite receiving a decent year-end review, I was placed on a Performance Development Plan (PDP) just a month later without fair support—especially after a colleague resigned and I fell ill. Around this time, the company laid off half its DEI team, and leadership began emphasizing that 40+ hour workweeks were expected despite the “unlimited” PTO policy.
I later learned two other women of color faced similar treatment. Even more disheartening was the lack of empathy from managers—including men of color—who enforced these inequitable standards. After I resigned, the client account I worked on was restructured, making it clear they were pushing me out.
The toxic environment, unrealistic expectations, unequal treatment, and lack of support left me feeling deeply undervalued and isolated.
