- Low salary. The bonus system used to reward achievement on a team-by-team basis, but was recently scrapped. The basic was adjusted but not by enough to compensate.
- Pretty much all changes to the research process come from the top down - i.e from senior managers or team leaders, some of whom have little first-hand knowledge of the process as it is today. Many changes even come from Brussels, or more recently, from the US. As a result, every single change that is implemented complicates the research process and makes it harder to achieve the demanding targets. Some changes may be positive – but as long as the targets are not adjusted any extra steps are just a hindrance. It is only since leaving the company - for a not too different role - that I have realised the ridiculousness of this approach. Shutting out the opinions of researchers will not lead to positive results.
- The volume of work on some M&A teams is much, much higher than on other teams, and the work is more difficult, yet targets remain the same across the board. This has led to some people having an extremely easy ride while others are very stressed, have to stay late (unpaid) and struggle to meet the targets. I genuinely don’t think management realise how difficult some days can be. Sometimes you can get unlucky and get stuck with a task that will have one hour and a half, but you still have to reach the target. The craziest example of the rigidity of this approach: sometimes the systems go down for an hour but you still have to reach the same target!!
- For a Researcher, the only path to promotion is 'Senior Researcher'. This results in more responsibility, but you essentially must complete ALL the work of a regular Researcher plus many additional tasks, for a small increase in pay. The only Senior Researchers I saw in my time were incredibly overworked, and regularly arrived early and stayed late. For me, the job amounted to heaps of unpaid overtime.
- The system for promotions is far from transparent. Sometimes a job is advertised internally and there is an interview process (as would be expected). Other times, people gain promotion out of absolutely nowhere, and are unfit for the role. I don't feel like these were given on merit, but were rather based on whether you would toe the line and not rock the boat.
- Given the above, skilled people leave constantly because there is basically no point in staying. Management do not even attempt to retain skilled staff, not sure why. When I joined, the three M&A teams were well staffed and trained. By the time I left there was barely a Researcher who had passed probation on either of the two major teams. Backlogs were soaring as people continued to leave but the only reaction from management was to push forward with recruitment in order to plug the holes of the sinking ship. I dread to think what it is like now.
