I’ll never forget what the temp employee said to me after working a few days at Fitch: “What is WRONG with this place?” Where to begin? The workplace atmosphere is grim. Pay is low and rewards are few. The management is humorless and excels at demoralization. No one talks to one another. It is difficult to tell if people are socially inept or they just don't like each other. There are no team outings or attempts at building camaraderie, just a cold, quiet space for you to spin your wheels into a deep, soul-crushing rut.
Don’t get me wrong, I made friends in every department, from analysts in New York to mailroom workers in Chicago, but there is a general pall over this place.
Changes in style and direction come from London and are passed on like a game of telephone to New York and then Chicago. There is no consistency across the board, but you are expected to follow along somehow. Near the end of my time at Fitch I compiled a list of these inconsistencies and the way different people chose to enforce them but it was met with deaf ears.
In the publishing department there are editors of varying experience who use conflicting styles that sometimes match up with the official style guide and sometimes do not. When it comes time for your performance review it is anyone's guess which style guide you will be judged by. There is a managing editor who allows some senior editors to review your work, ostensibly giving your perceived co-workers the ability to serve as your superior. The condescension is palpable. These reviews will affect your pay and your yearly bonus. It bears repeating: morale is low.
The manager in my department displayed virtually no ability to communicate naturally. His style consisted of unplanned taps on the shoulder for meetings, assuring you are unprepared and on the defense. Asking for assistance with a problem was usually met with a shrug; he was powerless against the higher-ups, and would rarely stand up for his own team in the face of corporate pressure. But hey, if your idea of a leader is to be utterly humorless with poor people skills, this is the place for you.
The IT department is years behind and often slow to respond to issues, big or small. Working from home is a relatively new concept at Fitch, but be careful: you may find yourself working remotely from Florida in the middle of your kids’ spring break after another poor decision by your manager. Fitch first, family last.
Access to gmail, social media and, most importantly, job hunting sites, are blocked on Fitch computers. Good luck finding your next job.
