Mix bag - Architect Gensler Employee Review

2.0
22 July 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

_International and diverse team _Talented peoples _ Growing office

Cons

_Low compensation and minimal or nonexistent annual raises. _Overtime is expected but neither paid nor acknowledged. _Employees are pressured to consistently go above and beyond their roles. _Management routinely understaffs projects to boost profits, showing little concern for employee wellbeing. You're often left to handle entire projects alone, without mentorship or support, facing unrealistic deadlines and difficult clients. _Leadership avoids challenging tasks themselves, while talented employees are overloaded, doing the work of five people, under constant micromanagement and criticism. _Despite frequent claims of being “a family,” the reality is isolation and neglect. Concerns are ignored, and burnout is widespread. _Talent is “rewarded” with more responsibilities, but never with increased pay. _Advancement often depends more on office politics, favoritism, and exploiting others’ work than on merit. _Leadership lacks empathy, prioritizing profit over people. While a few good managers exist, many are toxic. The good ones are burning out and leaving, while the toxic ones thrive. _The workplace is filled with exhaustion, frustration, and frequent burnout. Skilled employees are overwhelmed until they break, and then they leave. Meritocracy is dead—replaced by dysfunction and opportunism.

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Gensler Response
11mo
Thanks for the feedback. We treat workplace concerns seriously and address them in accordance with our internal policies and procedures. We have multiple channels for reporting issues and we train and encourage our team members to use them. Encouraging everyone to ask questions and provide honest feedback is critical to supporting our culture and our values of integrity, trust and mutual respect. We appreciate your feedback and will share your comments with the firm’s leadership.

Explore other reviews about Gensler

5.0
20 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good firm to work at

Cons

Nothing bad about the firm

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Gensler Response
1mo
Thanks for providing feedback on your experience at Gensler. We value our interns and love to hear their perspectives. We are thrilled and delighted to see your 5-star rating!
1.0
29 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Nice office, lots of “rah rah Gensler” events with food & booze, some nice people

Cons

Where do I start…..some studios are TOXIC. Favoritism permeates every aspect of working here. It’s nauseating. There is zero loyalty, zero recognition for hard work (yeah you get a bonus but sometimes a kind word is needed). Oh-and never ever express an opinion that may be in opposition to “leadership’s”. Your private life, beliefs, politics and other personal things are fair game for letting you go. I’ve seen it happen-fired because someone expresses in a private conversation that one has ethical concerns regarding projects that are in the office (but in another studio/office) will get you fired. They will make up some bs about “work performance”, yet no conversation ever with anyone about “needing improvement “. Out of left field. Bye bye. Management tells leadership that they’d already “warned” the person-completely untrue. Hear later it was likely due to having concerns about a client/project. Lesson learned-shut up, work 12 hrs a day and be happy with the scraps you’re thrown. Also-egos galore! Unwillingness to take accountability for mistakes.

5
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Gensler Response
1w
Thanks for the feedback. We treat workplace concerns seriously and address them in accordance with our internal policies and procedures. We have multiple channels for reporting issues and we train and encourage our team members to use them. Encouraging everyone to ask questions and provide honest feedback is critical to supporting our culture and our values of integrity, trust and mutual respect. We appreciate your feedback and will share your comments with the firm’s leadership.
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