Gensler Reviews

Pros

This company has lots of resources and can utilize talents from around the world.

Cons

There are some politics to be dealt with on higher management level.

Pros

Entrepreneurialism
Commitment to clients
Relationship focus
Ambition
Ability to adapt and evolve
Equity in distribution of rewards

Cons

Not always clear what to do (but I like that)

Advice to Senior Management

Focus on the culture. It is our gift and our biggest asset.

Pros

Senior Associates are very knowledgeable.

Cons

Very corporate environment and can be different from studio culture of architecture school.

Pros

Employees are a pleasure to work with. Lovely office in SF. Paid overtime (unheard of in architecture profession). Good retirement and medical plans. Opportunities to work abroad.

Cons

Office and NW region is controlled by the CFO. Therefore productivity and billable hours are more important than design. Project Managers don't manage projects, more are glorified accountants. Top heavy and difficult to advance. Huge bonuses for the partners, mediocre for the remaining. Salaries are withheld as a bi-annual bonus. Employee reviews are a way to placate staff and not as a tool to professionally develop.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop 'strategically' hiring, grow the company within. Value your staff and not the hire-fire that you have become. Too many financial presentations to how much Gensler earns. This actually irritates the staff to how much money is not trickling down. Stop saying how great you are at design: you need to be innovative rather than looking to the trade periodicals for insipation.

Pros

To be surrounded by smart and competent people who have a talent for ground-breaking design. An amazing place to observe and learn from the amazing people around you.

Cons

It is a bit large. It is a bit too organized for my taste. Design and creativity can not be derived by a table of elements... it comes and goes and changes with each person.

Advice to Senior Management

keep it up!

Pros

Management is pretty understanding in permitting time-off for personal/family matters.
Company's financial status is shared among employees.

Cons

Not too much room to grow for accounting/finance people.

Advice to Senior Management

Open communication can be improved

Pros

Gensler provides its employees with good benefits and office support. It is an international firm w/ award winning work and talented employees.

Cons

Depending upon the office you work in you may have limited opportunities. Each office seems to have its niche and sticks to it. Management is not really interested in stepping out of their comfort zone and expanding its business portfolio

Advice to Senior Management

Management is very personable and I feel easy to converse with professionally.

Pros

Many different types of projects. Rewarded for taking initiative. Many great people to work with across offices. Benefits and compensation package. Overall a enjoyable company to work for.

Cons

Some employees are given preferencial treatment. Large offices tend to take advantage of small offices.

Advice to Senior Management

Provide guidance on career advancment for all areas of expertise. Some chosen professions are left out.

Pros

Latest Technology new computers and laptops.

Cons

No groth potential at all.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire skilled people.

Pros

Great clients
Great design
Great people
Collaborative culture
Creative process
Challenging work
Supportive peers
Fun and social
Intelligent solutions
Diverse staff
Cutting edge
Respectful culture
Enthusiastic teams
Committed to quality

Cons

Networking internally and externally is essential for personal growth
Expectations of staff are high and cultural fit is as important as talent

Advice to Senior Management

Empower staff to be entrepreneurial
Invest in young staff and challenge them to lead
Invest more in cutting edge technology