Forrester Research Reviews

Pros

i can be interesting work to do and flex time is ok. demands are unrealistic at times and it seems like sales job more than anything else

Cons

i expected more thought leadership here and just didn't see it. i wonder if the company really drinks its own kool aid when the systems in place are all outdated

Advice to Senior Management

hire better recruiters who can bring in smart people!

Pros

A very automous work environment, very competative pay, good self-exposure, and the ablity to do a lot of different activities.

Cons

A very hectic job at time. Senior managment and leadership is mediocre at best. Lots of politics for a relatively small company

Advice to Senior Management

Forrester is one of the few companies that should be completely in touch with what cilents want because analyst, researchers and sales deal with them on a daily basis. Senor managment at Forrester often makes decisions in a vaccum eventhough they clearly do not have to.

Pros

Great reputation of the Forrester name will help your resume. Good benefits. Flexibility to work from home, even though presence in the Cambridge political scene is key for getting promoted.

Cons

People are horrible, non-collegial, and often non professional. Analysts have huge egos and they often lash out at colleagues, and especially at more junior people. There is lots of criticism, most of it petty and un-constructive, and no praise. There is no collaboration; in fact, teams are set up in such a way that they compete for the same revenue from their clients. Client needs and quality of research are not a priority, and the client experience is poor as a result.

Groups are too siloed for such a small company. Management is poor and and demotivating. Morale among employees is low. There are no clear growth paths, even though there is a complicated process that supposedly lays out career paths. Noone follows that process though.

Salaries are low compared to the market place. Stress level is high and you are expected to work evenings and weekends. Management is random.

Advice to Senior Management

Taper back the focus on revenue, and remember to treat people better. Also remember research quality is important and one day people will figure out just how little scrutiny there is for the ideas and numbers published.

Pros

Great Workplace, good work life balance

Cons

High turn over of staff

Advice to Senior Management

Leadership needs to work hard to keep ontop of what is going on within the business

Pros

-people/co-workers, for the most part, are great.
-pleasant working environment
-work/life balance encouraged (but not always achievable)

Cons

-pay is low compared to industry standards
-management is out of touch
-career path unclear
-when advancement is available, it comes at a cost; i.e. an increase in title carries additional quota. Promotions are not given based on merit or performance.
-nepotism is RAMPANT- I've never seen anything like it.
-exec mgmt team does what they want and not what is best for the client or employee

Advice to Senior Management

Read your own research!!! Don't be so rigid in determining pay. Not every comp package should be created equally.

Pros

Smart people
Excellent reputation in the market
Nice employees
Great benefits
Good compensation

Cons

Unreasonable sales quotas
Sales managers manage through intimidation and abuse
Stifling work environment - express feedback at your own peril
Micromanagement, esp frustrating for reps with sales experience
Poor work/life balance
Year-long learning curve

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your employees. Positive feedback is free. Remove abusive sales managers.

Pros

Work life balance is good

Cons

The company has fallen in love with itself, and lost touch with clients needs. The strategic direction is limited and unstable. They need to hire managers, and not promote high individual performers

Advice to Senior Management

Bring in outside, proven leaders for senior management

Pros

Good health benefits relative to other comparable companies; flexibility in the work schedule; good, friendly, collegial environment with colleagues on a regular basis.

Cons

Pay is not as competitive compared to other comparable companies; professional development roadmaps need to be developed much earlier in the promotion process.

Advice to Senior Management

Although the company runs lean, there needs to be an understanding that its employees cannot execute three to four jobs at once. Investment in more employees is needed before burn outs and frustration begin to arise within the organization.

Pros

Fun place to work, social environment. Nature of work can be rewarding and intellectually stimulating. Employees are smart and energetic. Collaborative work environment. Commitment to high quality. Constantly evolving to adapt to changing client needs.

Cons

Top heavy with too many managers at the upper levels. Becoming more and more "political."

Advice to Senior Management

None

Pros

Great place to learn
Great colleagues among the analyst community to work with
Unparalleled access to vendors and some end users

Cons

Incompetent management
People get promoted for the wrong reasons
Lack of clarity about the direction of the company
Lack of understanding about what the most valuable asset in the company is (People!)
Heavily beholden to Wall Street

Advice to Senior Management

Get rid of almost all management, take the company back private, and focus on your critical core strengths instead of chasing money ghosts.