I met some of the most single minded, greedy, severe, insensitive, cruel, mean(yes, mean. Like how kids are mean on the playground) and self-serving people in partner positions at this agency. I was bullied for taking time off, even when they promise you it isn't an issue when you're being hired. I was chastised for even asking to work from home - heaven forbid one should need an actual sick day.
Myself and others were strung along with promises of the position we hoped to work towards, only to keep our hopes at bay with offensively transparent excuses that are just a means of avoidance. This is not an agency that I found to promote professional growth. Many people who worked at this agency went on to leave the industry forever and change career paths entirely having seen the darkest and ugliest parts of an already challenging career path. If they didn't just delay your growth, the partners would altogether change your role ENTIRELY. During my time there I saw people working tirelessly and jumping through hoops to gain ground towards the position they wanted, only to then be plucked out of their position and put in an entirely different role based on what one of the partners(usually Leigh Himel) thought would suit them better.
As for their 'Open Door Policy' - I found this to be almost entirely absent. If the door was even open, it didn't feel safe to go in.
I saw people of all levels of seniority publicly shamed in front of the whole office, saw people reduced to tears and then dismissed as though their emotions were offensive. I received late night e-mail just to me, berating me and trivializing my experiences at the agency, often choosing to cite 'the real world' and how good we had it compared to the outside. Being in this agency, to me, felt very much like some abusive relationships I've been in. Gaslighting, manipulation, etc were common place in my time at Gravity.
I do not believe this toxic environment is sustainable.
