Come for the Micromanagement, Stay for the Inevitable Therapy Bills
Pros
The people actually doing the work are some of the smartest, hardest working people around.
Cons
Thesis is a toxic environment that prioritizes ego over employee well-being, with the pernicious behavior trickling down from the top. The so-called "feedback culture" is a farce—it's one-sided and top-down, with managers more focused on protecting themselves than supporting their direct reports. Those few managers who actually try to stand up for their teams are either fired, laid off (in one of the four layoffs in the past year) or made so miserable they eventually quit. Meanwhile, HR is no help, using employee complaints to build cases against them rather than addressing the issues at hand. The abrupt shift from 2 days to 3 days a week in-office attendance with only two weeks' notice, right before summer, left parents scrambling with no sympathy from leadership. The CEO doesn't even adhere to the same Return-to-Office policies imposed on employees and the building they are so eager to fill is ill-equipped with enough private spaces for employees to actually get work done. The agency is also pitching more work than they have manpower to handle, leading to overworked and burnt-out staff. Opportunities for growth are non-existent unless you’re part of the ELT’s inner circle, where sucking up is the key to advancement. The DEI "policies" are entirely performative — there's little real commitment to equitable hiring practices or providing growth opportunities for employees from underrepresented groups. This feedback isn’t just a one-off — it’s a common thread among nearly everyone who has left the company. Yet, leadership continues to deflect any responsibility, blaming the mass exodus of clients on “lack of productivity” from employees, rather than confronting their own failures. The solution they propose? Strict in-office hours and micromanagement, as if this will suddenly solve the deeper issues of poor leadership and an inability to bring in new business. When employees have raised concerns or asked about Glassdoor reviews, leadership dismisses them as the complaints of "disgruntled employees," yet the recurring themes—lack of support, micromanagement, and a toxic culture—have been consistent for years. When feedback is this persistent, it’s evident that the problem isn’t just disgruntled former employees, but the leadership itself. Do yourself a favor: avoid working here unless you’re prepared to invest heavily in therapy to cope with the overwhelming stress and dysfunction.
