The salaries for more junior roles are laughably low considering the amount of hours and responsibility you are expected to put in, yet is offered as "competitive". Pay rises are non-existent. You are expected to go above and beyond in your role to take on more responsibility from managers/directors in your team, however when it suits them they make up reasons why you aren't ready to progress. There are huge issues with favouritism and a bullying, toxic culture. Senior people have shouted at people across the office in front of everyone. The contracted hours were until 5:30pm however it's the norm to work until at least 6pm, and even then if you finished at 6pm you felt like you were being judged for simply leaving on time. Socialising after work is impossible because you never know if you will finish at a reasonable time. You're expected to hang around even if you have nothing urgent to do. Sometimes I'm still sending emails at 8-9pm. Apart from the lack of work/life balance, this also sets a really bad precedent to clients. Pitches and new projects are taken on without consulting the full team to check it can be properly resourced. Deliverables are promised within an unrealistic timeframe and there were times my team were online until midnight preparing for a client presentation the following day, with little to no acknowledgement or recognition. Time in lieu was of course never offered following situations like this. When in the office you are expected to work pretty much with a constant smile on your face putting on a performance of how much of a "positive individual" you are. It's so forced and unnatural.
