The Emmes Group reviews

Negotiate for the highest salary at the time of your final interview. Despite being a profitable company with a robust range of projects in industry and government, even brief comparisons on Glassdoor and Google show salaries are lower than average, and in my experience the performance increases are modest to outright lousy even for employees whom exceed expectations. Supposedly the HR team completed a focused review of salaries, but it appears to have made little difference to most employees outside of the ScD and PhD levels. Turnover is a direct result of competitors and industry roles offering more money for the same or more engaging work. The salary ranges are very broad, so the potential for higher earning is there, but placement within that scale seems arbitrary. High turnover is a problem with middle and entry-level staff. The company likes to brag to sponsors/clients about turnover for project staff, but what they're talking about are Project Management and executives. I've observed several entire teams of data managers leave the company because they're actively exploring opportunities for advancement, and putting it simply, in a structured clinical trials management company, opportunities are limited for young professionals. In many cases, a single Data Manager, Protocol Specialist, or Monitor are often assigned to 2-3 projects, which places a lot of stress on the new employees while middle and upper management manage via email and memos...some are REALLY engaged, but as with many companies there are more micromanagers and more seemingly disaffected managers (usually promoted due to longevity) whom are simply going through the motions. A management role isn't necessarily a position earned by the ability to manage people or a project, but rather seniority. In some cases, it's very clear that managers are managers simply because they have an advanced degree or, more likely, that they've been there for a decade or more. Most project management/leaders are Statisticians, and some just don't have the soft skills to actively manage their project staff. They're very capable of executing clinical trial management, but aren't necessarily interested in staff development, continuous improvement, or the concept of teamwork. It shows in turnover, and there's a large age gap between newer (millenial) hires and project management...If you're Gen X or Gen Y, you're a unicorn. The company is also woefully inadequate at adopting new technology solutions to increase the efficiency of the company. While the Advantage eClinical suite is excellent, other company-infrastructure based programs are just now being investigated at the advent of their 40th anniversary. HR employs some 20+ employees, with 3 employees replacing 1 departure and not executing the job nearly as well. Support staff, e.g., Facilities, are almost criminally understaffed, and some departments/projects are bloated. A recent employee was recently counseled for streaming TV on her computer for 3 days straight because no one in the department bothered to engage her and train her on job tasks.

Where to begin... Emmes has undergone significant changes since its acquisition by private equity, and unfortunately, these have dramatically shifted the company’s trajectory. What was once a company rooted in its employees' well-being has seen drastic cost-cutting measures and organizational restructuring that have left many feeling uncertain about its future. Culture: The workplace culture has shifted towards one marked by fear, uncertainty, and disengagement. Since the management change in late 2023, layoffs have become a reality for the first time in the company's history. The approach to addressing employee concerns during town halls has occasionally come off as dismissive, with management encouraging employees to voice grievances directly to them instead of using external platforms. This has left many feeling unheard and unsupported. Employee morale has suffered significantly, and burnout is a common theme in conversations with colleagues. While some positive reviews may surface, they often lack substantial detail, raising skepticism about their authenticity. Management and Financial Practices: While leadership often emphasizes the company's financial growth targets, these messages have been coupled with significant cuts to staffing, benefits, and tools. Reports of high expenses for executive travel, including first-class tickets and personal chauffeurs, contrast starkly with the cost-saving measures applied elsewhere in the organization. There have also been concerns raised about the treatment of certain employees and a lack of accountability for troubling behaviors, particularly when tied to lucrative contracts. Transparency Issues: After a large round of layoffs in early 2024, leadership assured employees that the reorganization was complete. However, subsequent smaller layoffs have continued under the radar, leading to further erosion of trust. Outsourcing has become a growing concern, with roles increasingly shifting overseas. Despite management's assurances, employees are left with little confidence in job stability. To add on, the current leaders of the company all have a percentage of of ownership in the company and are all simply waiting until the Private Equity firm sells Emmes so that them and only them can get a large monetary payout while the remainder of the employees are left jobless to fend for themselves. For U.S.-based employees, there are growing indications that most domestic roles may be eliminated by the end of 2025 as part of broader organizational changes. Severance and Communications: The company requires laid-off employees to sign agreements that limit their ability to discuss their experiences publicly in exchange for severance, creating further opacity around its practices. Takeaway: For prospective employees, it is essential to approach opportunities here with caution. While there may still be valuable roles in the short term, the long-term stability of the organization is HIGHLY in question as leadership continues to make significant changes. For those considering joining, ensure you understand the current climate and evaluate whether this aligns with your career goals.