Pros
The people you met in the trenches with you can become some of your best friends. Those who suffer together band together.
Cons
Not a place for those who values fairness, transparency, work-life balance, or professional respect. The culture here is the most toxic I’ve come across in decades of experience. Individuals outside the company often think I’m exaggerating or don’t believe me, as the environment here is so far removed from what would be considered acceptable. Be cautious of overly positive reviews as there is internal HR pressure to maintain appearances. The management culture is built around control and obedience rather than collaboration and leadership. There’s a clear pattern of favoritism, exclusion, and retaliation. Raise a concern or advocate for fair treatment and you will likely be labeled a problem to get rid of rather than heard. Accountability for management is rare. The HR department is not what you’d expect from a modern workplace. It’s structured to protect leadership from accountability rather than support for the employees. There’s a separate team of HR department partners who supposedly act as the HR bridge between management and employees. In reality, they serve leadership almost exclusively regardless of who’s right and are widely distrusted by the majority of employees. Attempts to escalate issues often result in deflection or subtle retaliation. Can I go to legal? Probably not. From former and current employees, there seems to be a noticeable tolerance for discriminatory behavior, a hostile work environment; and a habit of protecting senior figures rather than addressing problems. A good example of this can be seen in the fact that some legal managers have had multiple complaints about their leadership and the toxic work environment employees feel, but they are protected. One manager is well loved, is often seen as doing little to address or push back on the toxicity. No wonder turnover is high in legal and research. These issues are not limited to these departments (those are just 2 you wouldn’t expect to act that way), they are widespread across the company. Whether you are in Marketing, IT, Finance, Facilities, the culture is largely the same. Loyalty and silence are rewarded over performance or integrity. Individuals are often promoted solely for being yes-man, not leaders and are widely found in every department. If you are lucky, you may find a decent manager who will treat you fairly. I wouldn’t bet money on that though. If you are considering this place, do your research and speak with former employees if possible. If you are already there, remember that collective voices have power. Because if you are waiting for leadership or HR to step up, you will be waiting forever.
