Penton Media – “Boulder Office Rocks”

Pros

Fun co-workers, clued-up local management, interesting work, very casual environment, onsite yoga, flex hours, dogs in office, casual dress. The people were the best part of working there -- most are fully signed-on to the mission of promoting healthy living. I felt appreciated by local management (in Boulder) even when their hands were tied when it came to finding more money or headcount.

Cons

Really terrible pay. Benefits were only so-so. Possibility of advancement is very uneven. Cost-cutting has been massive for years -- every time you think the place can't possibly function at the staffing level we currently have, they cut more. Our market/industry was growing like crazy but cuts still happen and get blamed on other market/industry segments within Penton. People feel taken advantage of.

Advice to Senior Management

People can't provide meaningful information to the industries they serve when they are doing six people's jobs. The whole media industry is grappling with this. Media consumers tell us our products are not relevant to what they need, so we respond by cutting more and making our products blander and less useful. It's insane.

At some point you have to take a leap of faith and add some value, something that people will want to buy. This is directed to corporate, Boulder management rocks and I think they get it.