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ION Trading

Acquired by ION Group

Is this your company?

Lack of direction - Anonymous employee ION Trading Employee Review

2.0
18 Jan 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Growing in size, central London offices, top management are ambitious. Global company, lots of offices around the world. Some excellent staff acquired over the years. Quite a fun blitz/death row spirit about the place.

Cons

Lack of transparency and direction Middle and even upper level management often how no information on future strategies Sudden lurches to latest buzzword management styles often completely conflicting the last set of management instruction. Confused staff eventually become cynical. Seem to have the following approach to acquisitions: remove benefits, no information for 6 months to a year, force new contract, loads of people leave the rest sign new contracts, sack 10 % of remainder just before Christmas. Close down old office and move staff to main office, keep moving staff every 6 months until no one knows where anyone is. Then forget about them and move on to next acquisition. Comical review process - You've probably changed department/entity that year plus likely your manager and his manager has left of been made redundant so person doing your review hasn't a clue what you've done all year anyway, changes every year, no information throughout the year, week before review deadline review information hurried out, mad rush to complete review for all staff members before week is over. Everyone forgets about it for another 51 weeks and repeat :) Strange approach to pay rises / bonuses - Sometimes very good well in excess of what expected mostly nothing. No information on why except strange town hall with megalomaniac CEO / 20% owner / ex investment banker with a serious case of turnover envy who goes off on odd tangents about making a billion $ company whilst telling you there are no pay rises as if you are a shareholder/investor and give a stuff. Feels a bit like a state of the union address but from Kim Jong-un. At the start when Ion took over the company I used to work for I thought that they were ruthless, cold hearted people who were terrible to their staff but had some kind of efficient masterplan but over time I've realised that they are just very bad at managing a company of this size and its staff its more cockup that conspiracy

Explore other reviews about ION Trading

5.0
3 Aug 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Management really cares about the LDP and provide opportunities for the analysts to achieve their goals/improve their skill sets. We have many opportunities to travel to our international offices and ask for projects that are interesting and a good learning experience. I've had a good experience with other team members who are not part of the program as well. The office is more collaborative now and I think ION is trying to improve on past criticism/feedback.

Cons

Work load can be daunting at times and you may get different directions from several managers. However, if you ask questions and aren't afraid to take on challenges this can be a great way to constantly strive for more.

6
1.0
15 June 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The New York office is very nice, on the 50th floor and overlooks Central Park. There are some nice people working in the office there and everyone has a collective feeling of sympathy for their fellow colleagues.

Cons

You need to understand that if you join ION that you are sacrificing any chances of career advancement whatsoever. While no expense is spared when it comes to fancy offices, every expense possible is when it comes to employees. While starting salaries are reasonable, there have been no pay increases for years, and bonuses when given are tiny. The CEO insists on a hands-on approach to every single part of the company (including approving an order for more coffee!) and the result is that very little ever gets done. Benefits are awful for a company of this size (no 401k employer contribution, minimum contribution toward heath, etc). There is very little flexibility when it comes to hours or working remotely. Think very carefully before joining ION and signing that onerous non-compete which could basically put an end to your career in this industry unless you change your industry/profession entirely or are happy to stagnate in misery at ION. I would strongly recommend against joining. I would also point out what many on here have mentioned - there are a number of reviews below which are very clearly fake. If you read a review which jokingly refers to ION as a "Market Leader" or similar, you need to be aware that these have been written specifically to try and boost the dismal rating the company rightfully has on Glassdoor.

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