Watson Wyatt – “A great place to work, but company must become more global”

Pros

Good quality people throughout the organization. Clear and focused business strategy, with distinct service lines that have remainded fixed over recent years, at a time when competitors have chopped and changed their approaches on a regular basis. Opportunities for global mobility are good, although better in some practices than others. Research base is strong across all business lines.

Cons

Could be more joined up globally, especially within investment consulting. It is a very conservative organization, where management often prioritizes stability of service over innovation. The company is managed on a global matrix strucure, with the matrix divided by geography and business line. The geographical aspects to the matrix are a clear weakness, since it makes managers focus on their distinct geogrpahical areas rather than working to benefit the company as a whole.

Advice to Senior Management

View the company globally and abandon the focus on individual geographies