Misleading, patronizing - Associate Director, engagement strategy CMI Media Group Employee Review

Assuming this is for the company in general and not the job title/definition specifically, CMI Media Group offers high flexibility in allowing individuals direct lines of communication to any level as well as input in their development and role. Upper management is fairly transparent and compensate is extremely fair.

Today's culture pressures the company and WPP, for that matter, to overcompensate on programs, policies and events to avoid litigation. It should be clear, however, that this is certainly a preventative or avoidance strategy, not a response to historic issues.

It’s easy to avoid accountability entirely if you don’t demonstrate capability, while more driven employees absorb the extra work until they break.

Day-to-day life here is frankly unlivable. There is a clear and consistent lack of respect for employees, and the environment often feels hostile and unprofessional. Coworkers openly express how miserable they are and more than a few have broken down in tears. Management is frequently manipulative and unpredictable. Training is minimal or nonexistant. Direction changes, sometimes hour to hour, resulting in the same work being redone multiple times. Despite this, employees are still blamed for outcomes that stem directly from managements own reversals. It creates a situation where it’s nearly impossible to succeed, no matter how capable you are. The company operates like it’s stuck 20 years in the past. Leadership appears to be made up largely of people who have simply outlasted others, many who have no real experience in the industry. Internal politics seem to matter more than competence. There is little accountability at the top and change is not welcomed, in fact it's harshly prevented. Work-life balance is effectively nonexistent. 60-70 hour weeks are treated as normal, often driven by inefficiency and poor planning rather than real business needs. Effort is not meaningfully recognized, and even when you follow direction exactly, you can still be criticized as if the decisions were your own. Overall, the culture makes it extremely difficult to perform, grow, or feel valued. It’s an environment that leads to burnout quickly.