Great people, weak leadership team - Anonymous employee Critical Mass Employee Review

2.0
25 Aug 2012
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The day to day workers (developers, designers and EA) are all very talented and hard working. Great people, who make an effort to make social events fun. Kudos to the social committee. Projects have the potential to be good, and as long as the leadership team don't get involved, one can produce good work. Well compensated. Always had a good experience when working in the Calgary office - lots of energy and desire to do good work there.

Cons

If you aren't from Calgary, then there is very little opportunity to advance into an exec roll. Strategy from a high level is very old and dated. Creative is all about tactics, with no appreciation for big ideas. Projects and pitches are a victim of internal politics, and suffer from it as a result.. All the good people leave as they are not allowed to shine. Business is no longer diversified. No GM and no "leaders" within the leadership team. Too much complacency and a high turnover of people.

Explore other reviews about Critical Mass

5.0
30 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Smart people attract smart people. Great culture of collaboration.

Cons

Sometimes things move too slowly because of so many mgmt layers

1.0
10 Feb 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

1. Smart, talented people - Critical Mass attracts legit operators. You’re surrounded by high performers and specialists. 2. Big-name clients / portfolio value - The brand names carry weight. Having it on your resume helps you get in doors. 3. Strong creative + strategic culture - They know how to build campaigns and big platform thinking. It’s not amateur hour. 4. You’ll learn fast - Sink-or-swim environment. If you survive it, you level up quickly. 5. Modern agency environment - Generally progressive, collaborative, good tech stack, and better than “old school” agencies.

Cons

1. Work-life balance is inconsistent - Expect late nights, shifting priorities, and “always-on” expectations depending on your career developer. 2. Leadership communication feels 100% corporate, vague and inauthentic - They’ll talk values, but sometimes decisions feel purely financial and detached from people. 3. Too much process / too many meetings - Agency BLOAT. You can spend more time talking about work than doing work. MEETINGS ALL DAY. EVERY DAY. Just let us do the work, man! 4. Internal politics + favoritism - Like most agencies, certain teams/accounts are protected, others are cannon fodder. 5. Employees feel like headcount, not long-term assets - This is the real emotional core. You can work your butt off and still stay on the bottom.

6
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