The tunnel vision is apparent in the way workflows and processes are currently in place. It's evident from Principal level when they aren't open to changes, down to the PM level where they take shortcuts during design phase and say they'll catch up later in the process (spoiler alert: they never do). There is of course logic in being cautious when taking risks but there's the other side where you have to keep up with the times and competitors. Unfortunately, they err on the side of caution too often.
Financially, the company has made some grave mistakes in the past which required them to reduce staff. Morale is of course reduced when this happens. Remove those events and it's slightly more stable.
Like many organizations, communication is an ongoing struggle and can be poor at times. This occurs at the office level and at the firm level. Firm-wide there are definite attempts to get everyone on the same page but not all Principals do a good job of that at the local level. After visiting the majority of satellite offices there's a substantial disconnect between HQ and others. Lack of communication results in duplicating work unnecessarily especially in Florida office.
Depending on the satellite office there aren't a lot of social events and even though everyone is friendly during office hours not many attempts for after-hour events are made.
Design-wise, some are very nicely done and have received numerous awards but some Principals have a "type" and tend to repeat style from project to project.
I've personally overheard a Principal make non-PC comments about certain nationalities. It was meant as a joke but leadership should be held to a higher standard. I considered alerting HR but didn’t want to rock the boat. Another Principal lacks basic people and management skills so it makes going to the office unbearable and a miserable experience (pre-covid). Hopefully that is not your experience as other Principals at the company are better at managing teams and more human. My experience is negative enough unfortunately that I could not in good faith recommend working here (at least as of right now). I do hope circumstances change soon and the Principals are able to adapt as well.
