Implico Communications Reviews

3.7

71% would recommend to a friend

(12 total reviews)

67% positive business outlook

Reviews by job title

12 reviews

1.0

26 Oct 2023

Keep Your Freedom and Your Sanity

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

The wonderful women I worked with (excluding upper management).

Cons

Genuinely where do I start. My time at Implico was one of the most horrific experiences I've ever had, namely due to the abuse and gaslighting that both I and many other former (and current) employees suffered at the hands of upper management, who suffer from the worst cases of narcissism I've ever seen and genuinely feels joy at causing others pain, primarily young women in their first or second jobs. When I interviewed here, I was told something absolutely sickening: "I fired all of the older people who worked on my team and decided to start fresh. It's easier to force young people to do more work." This is a sweatshop. Upper management expects salaried employees to work every second of every day, even during time off, because they knows that they can milk more work from them for free. However, unfortunately they are also completely unaware of what their employees are doing and will frequently claim that you are not working enough when you are in reality going above and beyond just to keep them from firing you. Word to the wise: nothing you do will be enough, not even 12 hour days or working weekends. They will fire you unceremoniously sooner or later. And, as they are cheap and wants the millions her company is making to go directly to them instead of funding a successful, functioning business, each and every employee is overwhelmed to an extreme extent due to a lack of proper staffing and unrealistic expectations. As nearly every employee is doing the job of at least three people, mistakes do happen. However, there is a toxic culture surrounding mistakes here, as other reviews mention. Upper management demonstrates a complete lack of awareness of their own company's procedures, as well as possesses the inability to comprehend simple information. They are unable to understand what is being asked when approached with questions, which is likely why they hate employees who have any and criticize them for "not being able to work independently." They do not know how to effectively run a team, frequently swear at and publicly shame employees for not only making minor mistakes but also for mistakes they’ve decided to blame on them, and brags about making employees cry. The irony is, I frequently had to fix upper management’s errors, all of which, had the mistakes been mine, would have gotten me threatened and degraded, or even fired. Furthermore, all of the reviews stating that she regularly drinks in the office are true. There is an alcoholic in upper management who and frequently goes on alcohol induced rages degrading, insulting, and swearing at employees both publicly and privately via teams. All of the negative reviews here encompass the reality of what it's like working at Implico Communications. The positive reviews are fake. Upper management begs current employees to leave reviews when the former employees she's abused speak out on Glassdoor. Truly, I cannot warn you away from this place enough. This job will take your freedom, your happiness, your joy, and your sanity. It will have you doubting your worth, believing them when they say that you're incompetent and stupid, and missing out on months, possibly years of your life. It will leave you numb and crying at your desk day in and day out. Stay away from this place. Upper management are the cruelest, most sinister group of women I've ever met in my life. Not to mention they are ableist and racist and frequently make putrid comments in the office. To current Implico employees: you are talented and worthy. You deserve to find a place that recognizes your talents and if you are ever feeling alone, please reach out. You are incredible and no one deserves to go through what we went through / are going through.

1.0

12 Oct 2023

The Devil Sells Benefit Guides

Communications coordinator

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

There are very few pros of working for Implico, but I gained experience, they have generous PTO, free alcohol if you work in person, and opportunities to pretend that you are Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada.

Cons

Have you ever watched The Devil Wears Prada? Well, Implico is like that, except there are not glamorous parties, fabulous clothes, and exceptional networking opportunities. Unfortunately, I worked there for over a year and was one of their longest employees. The CEO and upper management have a tendency to be angry, calculating, condescending, critical, cruel, demanding, dishonest, disorganized, drunk, egocentric, erratic, irrational, judgemental, manipulative, passive aggressive, rude, unhelpful, unprofessional, unthankful, and uptight. The CEO constantly makes absolutely abhorrent comments about other employees. For instance, she joked that one of our employees is autistic and called another a beta male. I also wrote the following quote down the moment that the CEO said it: “I’ve hired black people before and they don’t make it.” Ultimately, the CEO and upper management lack empathy, treat employees like dirt, and are absolutely delusional. They never like any employee other than themselves for long and think that every other employee is stupid. They also talk about their illegal business practices (i.e. failing to provide FTE with benefits after 90 days or hiring employees in sanctioned countries). They desperately need to take a hard look in the mirror, question why everyone is incapable of meeting their standards, and finally realize why everyone quits. I genuinely deserve an Academy Award for working with these people for over a year. In January of this year, they suggested that I train to become the PM by summer. They offered me very little guidance, feedback, or training for several months. In June, the CEO casually told me that they were going to hire someone “older” to be the PM due to four mistakes that I had made. However, at least two of the “mistakes” were their fault (One of the mistakes was upper management’s fault, but they didn’t take responsibility for their actions so the mistake was blamed on me. In hindsight, I wish that I had advocated for myself, but I didn’t realize that I would not get the promotion and I was concerned about retaliation). They eventually hired their close friend to be the PM. They trained her poorly and she is not as knowledgeable as I am, but upper management is covering it up. The PM is also not performing the job independently or working excessive overtime as I was expected to. As you may have already realized, there is a toxic culture surrounding mistakes. Whenever they notice that someone has made a mistake, they immediately search for who is to blame and make them (even if they’re an intern) feel terrible. I honestly think that they feel joy when they notice a mistake and have the opportunity to berate someone over it. However, when they make mistakes, they ignore it and or blame their mistake on someone else. A few weeks ago, I found a Google Doc with my name on the title in the company Google Drive. It was a short list of mistakes that I made and I imagine how they justified not giving me the PM promotion. I tried to ignore it, but I began to obsessively open it over the following week. Unfortunately, this caused the Google Doc to appear higher on their Google Drive. They started writing petty complaints about me in it constantly. One time, they were even typing in it while I was sitting across from them. I immediately burst out of the office hysterically crying. If you currently work here or you need the money, please know that they will never see the error in their ways. Every step forward with them is two steps back. Also, every positive review on this website is either written by them or written by a current employee that they pressured into leaving a positive review. The best advice that I can give you is play the game, keep your head down, and don’t let them tear you down. If you do try to advocate for yourself, it will not be productive and they will hold it against you. The CEO and upper management should feel absolutely ashamed of themselves for bullying employees (typically young women at their first jobs). Ultimately, it would take days for me to summarize the abuse that I and other employees experienced. However, I will say that by the end, my responsibilities had slowly increased to what two people should be doing. When I tried to advocate for myself because the CEO was giving me an additional responsibility (that the PM should be doing), she told me to perform my other responsibilities in a sloppy manner in order to take on this additional task. I gave two weeks notice the following day, but she fired me for “Job Abandonment” because I didn’t arrive at the office by 8:00 AM that day (I always work from home in the morning and arrive at 9:00 AM). She also told me that I lack critical thinking skills and suggested that I find a job in HR in the future (she means this as a back handed compliment). At the end of the day, this was a terrible first job, but I learned how to recognize red flags in the workplace, how to work with difficult people, and I gained a lot of experience. The only reason I lasted over a year is that I actually enjoyed my job responsibilities and I have an incredible work ethic. It is truly unfortunate that they never recognized my worth (or paid me appropriately), but I wasn’t willing to sell my soul to the devil and neither should you.

Implico Communications Response

2y

Thank you for sharing your insights and concerns on Glassdoor. We appreciate the opportunity to address the points raised in your recent review and provide clarity on certain matters. Allegations of CEO Intoxication: We want to assure you that maintaining a professional atmosphere is of utmost importance to us. While we do enjoy occasional prosecco during the day, the claim that the CEO is regularly inebriated is not only baseless but also implausible. Successfully running a multi-million dollar business requires focus, responsibility, and strategic decision-making, making such allegations inconsistent with the reality of our workplace. Diversity and Inclusion: Our commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workplace is unwavering. Contrary to the accusations, our CEO actively supports hiring practices that embrace individuals from various backgrounds. Decisions are made based on qualifications and fit, with no bias against any group. The incident involving the African American intern was unrelated to discrimination, and we continue to actively seek diversity within our team. Author's Situation: We appreciate your detailed account of the situation – little did you know you were facing the possibility of being placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). While we acknowledge your positive self-perception, there were identified challenges with organizational skills, and occasional difficulty in comprehending basic client requests. Instead of opting for termination based on perceived competency gaps, we sought alternative solutions. In an earnest effort to provide avenues for your growth and improvement, we reimagined a new position—one that did not previously exist—with the intention of better aligning your skills within the company. This decision reflects our commitment to supporting our team members in their ongoing professional development. Your exceptional strengths in ordering lunches, coordinating breakfasts, organizing engaging activities like happy hours, bowling, and Painting with a Twist have been duly recognized. Your enthusiasm for suggesting dinner outings is noted as well. Therefore, when the idea of exploring a role in HR was presented, it was not intended as a back-handed compliment; rather, it was an acknowledgment of your demonstrated skills and potential in areas such as HR or event planning. We value your contributions and remain dedicated to fostering an environment where each team member can thrive and find fulfillment in their unique strengths. Benefits We appreciate your feedback, especially on the topic of benefits, and we want to provide clarity on this matter. While as a small company with fewer than 50 employees, we are not required to offer benefits, we have chosen to go above and beyond to provide comprehensive and affordable options for our team. Currently, we offer two medical plans at absolutely no cost to our employees, and for the other plans available, we actively offset a significant portion of the costs. In addition to medical coverage, we provide dental and vision plans at a low cost to ensure that our employees have access to holistic healthcare options. We understand the importance of financial planning and security, which is why we offer a 4% match on our 401(k) plan, providing a valuable opportunity for our team members to save for their future. Our commitment to the well-being and satisfaction of our employees is a priority, and we continually strive to enhance our benefits package to support the diverse needs of our team. We value your input and remain dedicated to fostering a workplace that prioritizes the health, financial stability, and overall satisfaction of our valued team members. We want to highlight another aspect of our commitment to our employees' well-being. In addition to our comprehensive benefits package, we also contribute $40 per month to provide employees with access to Class Pass. Understanding the importance of a holistic approach to well-being, we believe that physical fitness is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. By contributing to Class Pass, we aim to support our team members in their pursuit of various fitness activities and classes that suit their individual preferences and schedules. We are proud to provide this additional benefit to enhance the overall health and wellness of our employees. If you have any further questions or if there are other areas where we can improve our offerings, we welcome your input and are committed to continually enhancing the employee experience. Addressing the Mention of Autism: We want to address the mention of an employee potentially being autistic. The CEO made this observation not as a criticism but rather in an attempt to contextualize certain behavioral nuances. It's important to clarify that such observations were not intended to discredit the employee's abilities or contributions. In fact, the CEO values diversity, including neurodiversity, and celebrates individuals with learning differences. The intention behind highlighting this was to foster understanding and empathy among team members. The CEO aspires to create an inclusive environment where everyone, regardless of their unique qualities, feels respected and valued. It's crucial to note that the mention of a potential autism spectrum condition was not meant as a critique but as an acknowledgment of diverse perspectives within our team. Workload and Company Growth: Recognizing the complexities of managing workloads amid rapid company growth, we've taken proactive steps to alleviate this by expanding our team. We truly value the dedication of our current staff, and your commitment has not gone unnoticed. As promised, I've swiftly expanded our team by hiring two additional members. Regarding the issue of working outside regular hours, our policy has consistently discouraged such practices. While we understand the challenges you faced, it's apparent, especially in your absence, that the backlog was linked to certain difficulties. Even with the increased project load, our team now efficiently completes tasks within standard working hours, typically concluding by 5:30 – 6:00 p.m., eliminating the need for late-night work. In closing, we appreciate your dedication to certain aspects of your role, it's crucial to address the concerning issue of crank phone calls and inappropriate use of communication platforms, such as sending photos via text flipping off fellow employees. This behavior is not aligned with our company values and professional standards. We kindly urge you to cease such activities immediately to ensure a respectful and collaborative workplace for all team members. Open communication is paramount, and we are here to discuss any concerns you may have. Our goal is to create a positive and inclusive work environment for everyone, and we appreciate your cooperation in achieving that objective.

1.0

4 Oct 2024

Run away far away

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Absolutely none, this company is horrible

Cons

Toxic leadership, bullied employees, the work is absolutely horrific

Implico Communications Response

1y

We appreciate all feedback, but this review does not reflect the reality of what occurred. This employee was hired for a leadership role with the clear expectation that they would lead, coach, and grow a team, while working closely with the CEO in-office to drive that effort. Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that this individual oversold their abilities during the hiring process and was not equipped to deliver on those responsibilities. Despite being hired to lead and mentor, they never held a single meaningful team meeting, never developed a plan for growth, and limited their “leadership” to brief, surface-level check-ins. Additionally, from the very first week, the employee made it clear they were unwilling to meet the in-office expectations that were agreed upon during hiring — citing personal obligations and a difficult commute. While we are supportive of flexibility, leadership roles at ICI require active engagement, hands-on collaboration, and visibility — especially during onboarding and team-building phases. Ultimately, this was a poor fit, and we made the difficult decision to part ways. This was not about bullying, nor was it a toxic environment — it was a matter of accountability and performance, which are fair and reasonable expectations for any leadership role. For future applicants, we encourage you to connect with our current employees to hear directly about our collaborative culture, high expectations, and the opportunities for those ready to truly lead and grow with us.

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