Toxic Work Environment - Finance Getty Images Employee Review

1.0
2 June 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great co-workers, world-class photography, convenient location, fun employee outings. The benefits were great, although I had to work so much that I couldn't use most of my time off. I was literally denied time off on two separate occasions after requesting it a month in advance.

Cons

Feeling valued and appreciated as an employee is so important to maintaining a strong, cohesive department that is willing to go the extra mile to get things done. At Getty, there was no appreciation. Teams that required two or three people to function effectively were cut down to one or two people. At the same time, however, Getty has this "work life balance" idea where you're not allowed to work overtime even when it's impossible to get everything done within a normal 40 hour work week. So what are you suppose to do? Talk to your manager? You'll be told that the workflow isn't going to change (even though it has and will continue to increase), so maybe just...um...not work at Getty. After I left, I think at least a third of the employees in finance left as well. Many were looking for work outside of Getty. I know that a few found it difficult to leave (myself included) because the benefits are so good.

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Getty Images Response
6y
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, it is important we hear your full experience and appreciate you sharing. We are glad you find our benefits are a strength – we believe affordable health insurance with 100% company paid employee premiums, ample paid time-off and schedule flexibility help us create a strong employee experience and allow our employees to take care of themselves and their family without worry. It is unfortunate to hear your limited availability to take advantage of them, especially the time off. We strive to make Getty Images one of the best places to work globally and work to ensure our employees experience a fair work-life balance, incorporating the feedback we hear from our employees to make this happen. We hear your feedback that this was not your experience and appreciate your willingness to share and provide insight. We are addressing your concerns and reviewing how we can continue to make improvements to enrich our employee experience, such as reviewing workloads, and allowing for employees to take the time off they deserve. Thank you again for voicing your concerns. I would like to talk to you further about your experience or if you have any additional context or feedback, please reach out to me directly, nicole.underwood@gettyimages.com or, if you prefer, HRGlobal@gettyimages.com. --Nicole Underwood Senior Director, Human Resources

Explore other reviews about Getty Images

5.0
1 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- fun culture where you get to hear talks by photographers - adopts new technologies relatively early in the game - a really great place to learn and grow as a developer

Cons

- can handle shifts/re-orgs poorly with communication, leaving employees feeling unheard and unvalued.

1
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Getty Images Response
1w
Hello! Thank you for your review! We’re really glad to hear that you have a positive view of our culture, particularly the opportunity to engage with photographers and our adoption of new technologies. It’s also great to know that you found our environment supportive with opportunity for growth - we always aim to ensure employees feel that they can learn and grow within their role, and others. We also appreciate your feedback regarding communication during shifts and reorganizations. We recognize that periods of change can be challenging, and it’s important that our communication is clear, consistent, and inclusive so that employees feel heard and valued. We will work to continue to uphold our Leadership Principle of being trustworthy, transparent, and honest. If you have any other feedback you'd like to share, please feel free to email me at sarah.dudley@gettyimages.com
3.0
6 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- nice people - want to do good

Cons

- technology feels old - ai can take their livelihood

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Getty Images Response
1mo
Hi, there - thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear you’ve had positive experiences with the people here and that our team’s commitment to doing meaningful work stands out. We also appreciate your comments about our technology and concerns around AI. We recognize that staying current with technology is essential, and we’re always trying to invest in efforts to better support both our employees and the people we serve. If you have any suggestions that you'd like to share, or anything else on the topic you'd like to discuss, please feel free to email me at sarah.dudley@gettyimages.com
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