Gensler Reviews

Pros

Amazing culture, non-hierarchical, many oppertunities for growth and learning, stong research led firm, global opertunities

Cons

Technology should be improved across all levels of staff, financial rewards are average

Pros

You really build your own path at Gensler, you will get as far as you want as long as you put in the work

Cons

Some favoritism, compensation structure could be better (focus on base instead of bonuses)

Pros

Good people, good work

Cons

No cons here - it's a great place to be

Pros

Great environment to work and grow. Many opportunities to advance. If you assert yourself in the right way you will go far

Cons

wildly successful and great opportunities come at a cost. W Work life balance will suffer a little if you want to advances

Pros

Gensler is an incredible global power house for design. The co CEO's are engaged and set a clear direction for the firm. There is lots of talent across the firm and the offices work together to deliver projects and share information and talent. It's a big firm that works best for someone with an entrepreneurial spirit who knows what they want and can chart their own path to get it.

Cons

These "cons" are Chicago specific and so are the ratings below. The newer Chicago office leadership put in place a little over a year ago doesn't seem to have the same level of communication as previous leaders. Transparency seems missing. Quick experiments with reorganizing the office have created uncertainty and some anxiety. While over half of the staff lost assigned desks to make more room for meeting space,... the new leadership enjoy new, large private offices with doors ( which is a first in the Chicago office) with lots of space to display personal items and cork walls that can be tacked. Recently I heard them tell a group of designers they wanted to see more of their work tacked up and displayed. People were looking at each other because there is a real lack of tack space. It was like, "Tack it where? In your offices?"

Advice to Management

-clarify a vision for the office -be sensitive to changes without fully thinking things through and communicating -be self aware - realize the new large offices with a wall of support personnel blocking access to you sends a bad message to people who have to keep all of their belonging in a shoe box

Pros

Extremely collaborative and supportive environment. Lots of opportunities for continuing education and professional development.

Cons

Easier to focus on an individual/project level and office level as firmwide can be a bit slower due to size.

Pros

It is a wonderful place to grow and learn about the architecture and interior design. There are a lot of very talented people working there. Gensler has exception resources and research that influences design. Offices and firm leaders talk to each other and share talent. There are monthly office meetings with in-house entertainment and a guest lecture series of talented professionals. Most talented and... productive team I have ever worked with.

Cons

The firm struggles with the challenges of any large firm, engaging its talent and moving forward. Gensler has a unique culture that may not work for everyone.

Pros

Good co-workers, life long friends, great networking opportunities

Cons

Senior Management operates in a shady way. People have too much power and will fire people with no warning and no reason. HR is not helpful and has been known to share salary information, personal details about employees lives, and generally doesn't seem to care what their actual function is. Admin staff are undervalued and not paid consistently across the board. The "leaders" that head up the Coordinators are... both inept, rude and inconsistent with their behaviors. Even after over a year has passed I still hear the same sentiment from my former colleagues.

Advice to Management

Such a mess. Take peoples exit interviews seriously and stop keeping morons in positions o f power.