Dynamics Research Reviews

Pros

Great work environment, strong team approach to business, competitive salaries, complete benefits package, lots of training opportunites, patriotic mission of supporting our troops and our government. At DRC, you can make a difference!

Cons

DRC is a government contractor and most of our business is contract based. Sometimes the rules change when the government decides to recompete contracts and this can lead to job uncertainty. We are geographically dispersed throughout the country so changing jobs within your local area is not always possible. Our work is very diverse and skill sets and clearances are very specific adding to the challenge of changing jobs across contracts.

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to invest in training for managers and employees, offering courses in the technologies that we will need to support our customers in the future and in preparing our managers to effectively supervise the people resources that they direct.

Pros

The management chain is probably one of the best I have ever worked for. They don't always have the answers but they do not place the blame back on anyone else regarding it. They work hard but maintain a life outside of the office and expect the same of their employees.

Cons

They do not always have the sharpest crayons in the box filling key roles. They do take the time to mentor and help employees get better but there are more times than not that too many 2nd chances are given before cutting their losses

Advice to Senior Management

There is a solid foundation but the materials (people) should be better selected.

Pros

The local management and staff are some of the best people I've ever been around.

Cons

The corporate leadership is completely out of touch with any offices other than the home office. The "Human Resources" department is referred to as the "human remains" department, primarily because they are quite antagonistic toward employees.

Time tracking system is absurd. You depend on management to assign projects; yet, if you don't show enough billable time on your record, you could be laid off...even if you are the best employee in the company!

Advice to Senior Management

Pay closer attention to those money-making departments NOT in Mass. THESE are the people making you rich!

Pros

Great salary package
Work/Life balance is amazing

Cons

moving up in the organization doesn't happen

Pros

Government contractor so there are plenty of opportunities, also in other geographic areas.

Cons

Slave to client, so must please the customer in some aspects.

Pros

benefits, managers with good experience and ability to move projects effortlessly.

Cons

corporate culture, lack of good raises and people promoted without proper backgrounds.

Advice to Senior Management

communicate effectively to works prior to major changes in culture, opporuntities and goals

Pros

DRC has a wide range of opportunities within the company, and recognizes individual accomplishment by allowing the employee to become a full partner in the business engagements that they obtain and work on.

Cons

DRC has a wide range of opportunities bolstered by the hard work of its individual employees with a passion for particular business areas. Growth within the company is highly organic, but not well directed. The company has no clear direction or distinct personality that defines how it grows or allows it to take measured investment and risk to get to the next step. Large growth is attained only through acquisition because of this managerial risk aversion (or investment aversion).

Without a clear direction, growth of the company's business is left to the devices of its employees who pull the company in many different directions. Strategic planning is either not well communicated down or not tactically planned for by sub-senior management.

DRC is missing a distinct personality and as such risks being no more than a body shop.

Advice to Senior Management

Decide on what the company IS and what its core competencies are. Look at the DRC logo and decide if the root of the company is still a valid business or if new direction is necessary. Rebrand if necessary to meet the changing needs of the sectors you perform well in and dispense of business that doesn't meet your new core direction. Create a strategy for not only business growth (contract acquisition) but also for training and directing your personnel. Reorganize not around dollars and customer segments, but around centers of excellence or business competencies. Grow multiple business competencies internally and give power for investments, training and 'members of excellence' that are benchable assets who carry the flag for their core competencies even when their contracts end. Allow people to report directly to these competency captains instead of business managers with the contract bottom lines in mind to help achieve greater employee-supervisor respect and morale.

Mostly, decide on the personality of the company and strive to be that personality. If we want the company to be great and to grow internally, larger risks must be taken to achieve those greater rewards. After more than 50 years, it may be time for DRC to truly re-invent itself.

Pros

Easy parking, adequate benefits (not great)

Cons

General lack of communication from leadership to workers, lack of any consistent supervision or performance appraisal, lack of any sense of team or unity, lack of any sense of job security. The place is a revolving door with employees leaving constantly. There is no concern on part of supervisors/leaders, as all employees are considered highly expendable and replaceable. The bottom-line is all important. Not a good place to work at all!

Advice to Senior Management

Recognize that the most important resource is your employees and that having a happy and well integrated work force will ultimately lead to happier employees, improved work performance, satisfied clients and a stronger bottom line. This notion that employee turn-over doesn't eventually damage the company and the company's reputation is absurd. Washington DC is too small of a town and the fact is that the most highly qualified candidates will not consider working with a company with such a negative culture.

Pros

Supports telecommuting as needed. Friendly work environment. That's about it:(

Cons

Poor management, lack of transparency, high turnover rate in Reston, very small office,

Advice to Senior Management

Look into why people are leaving the company.

Pros

lean mean teams on projects because of desire to increase profits allows employees many opportunities to learn on the job and do things normally outside of their job description. pay is very competitive (for me at least) and benefits are fine.

Cons

projects are staffed too lightly to allow work to be done most effectively. spend most of our time putting out fires. employee training and career development are ignored. opportunities for formal advancement are scarce because of the flat nature of the organization.

Advice to Senior Management

take better care of your people. your strategy of focusing on project deliverables and revenues at the expense of your people is short term thinking and ultimately will prevent the growth that is necessary in this field.