Toxic, Political, Good People, Discretionary PTO, Remote, Decent Benefits
Pros
They offer discretionary PTO (not to be confused with Unlimited PTO). That has it's advantages. If your boss likes you and there aren't any needs of the business and client, you'll usually get your PTO approved. There are leaders who are skilled at creating a safe, supportive, collaborative department culture where people celebrate each other's wins, collaborate successfully and feel empowered. These leaders are adept at managing company politics FOR their teams and going to bat for their people as needed. There are lot of opportunities for fully remote and hybrid 1-day per week options. Good benefits package. Diversity, Equality, Inclusion. There are genuinely kind humans who will roll up their sleeves to help. People who are very skilled, intelligent, and are tremendous assets who get things done. They can be looked up to for inspiration, support and mentorship.
Cons
Highly political organization, toxic leadership culture and gas lighting. A pressure cooker that burns out even the resilient ones. It can and has impacted peoples' quality of personal life, physical and mental health because burn out from these types of work environments impacts every part of one's life. Professional therapy and setting clear boundaries can help with coping. "Good guys" can be pressured and molded by certain higher ups to play corporate political chess, essentially abandoning their values, losing sense of self, and becoming part of the problem. Staff morale can range from horrible to great. It depends on whether they are in a department with leaders who are diminishers or leaders who are truly great people leaders and make it their mission to create a safe and positive culture within their teams to the best of their ability. It requires them to be resilient and made of thicker stuff to sheild their teams. There is intense pressure to focus on selling more business, and renewing and expanding existing contracts. Understandably so, since the company needs to roll in the benjamins. However the downside is that low priority is placed on slowing down for a bit to examine and fix what is broken. There are insufficient staff levels to support the work, coupled with unclear, inefficient, dedundant or zero defined processes which makes the typical day a fire drill with overwhelmed frustrated staff, and each team doing things differently to pull off the same type of work. Fire drill daily life makes time for stepping back and being strategic very hard, and leaders will be held accountable for not being strategic nonetheless. There are leaders that staff fear and would rather get 12 root canals in one sitting than get in a room with them for a meeting. Pay not competitive. Bonuses weak. Coaching and annual performance appraisals process needs work.
