Hill & Knowlton Reviews

Pros

Challenging clients, work with smart people.

Cons

There are some work/life balance issues for particular teams.

Advice to Senior Management

n/a

Pros

smart people with a lot to say

Cons

just don't know how to say it, or don't stand by it.

Pros

I was at H&K for three years of incredible highs and also terrible downs. These were the positives:
- Strong brand name, with opportunities to work on big brands. In Singapore, it was strong in corporate, public sector, tech and crisis/training
- Barring senior management, the organisation was quite flat and worked hard to maintain a collegial, family-oriented culture
- Your experience really depends on your practice head and colleagues (more on this later). I received some fantastic opportunities.
- Real sense of family and team spirit within practices. Effort is made to make everyone feel welcomed.
- Opportunity to not just work but learn from some truly brilliant people. Many were hardworking, driven, down to earth and cared deeply for their teams.
- Supportive regional network. US and EMEA offices can however appear to be siloed with little consideration for Asia Pacific.
- Strong finance processes and good technology support. H&K invested quite heavily in technology; servers were never down and working remotely was almost seamless.
- Great healthcare and dental benefits (one of the better ones among the big firms).
- Strong commitment to reducing waste and increasing energy efficiency.

Cons

- As with most PR firms in Singapore, hours are dismal, particularly because of poor leadership and mismanagement of clients. Work/life balance is not impossible. There is a culture of staying late.
- Salaries and bonuses are dismally low. Junior staff are underpaid and overworked.
- Senior management does not encourage open dialogue. Junior employees often too afraid or intimidated to speak out. Staff meetings can be tense.
- HR processes were almost non-existent, from career planning to annual reviews. Promotions can seem arbitrary and used as a retention tool.
- Staff training was almost non-existent too and when available, often out-dated (from the 80s). Personal and career growth fundamentally depend on having a senior person as your advocate.
- Senior management blatantly exercises favouritism.
- Tendency to hire untested 'brand names'. Many lacked EQ, leadership/management qualities or core PR competencies. This led to many departures, across all levels.
- High turnover, with employees often leaving unhappy.
- In Singapore, overly focussed on government clients (not necessarily a negative)
- Real lack of vision or long term strategy at the senior level. The singular objective is one of a bean counter.
- Senior leadership lack personal accountability, often resorting to blame games, especially at the regional and group WPP level.
- Senior leadership can be unpredictable, aloof yet controlling.
- Really lacked depth in consumer, brand and financial communications
- Quality and competency is dangerously inconsistent across the firm. H&K as a result has suffered in retaining and winning business.
- Internal communications was top down, impersonal and infrequent, from local, regional and global leadership.

Advice to Senior Management

H&K has fallen behind, and really needs to find its way back. Here's a start:
- Stop touting your awards (everybody wins them!) and start developing people. That means talking more with your employees, not just at them. Don't just listen to your favourites.
- Invest in proper training, fairer compensation and better leadership. You live or die on your ability to retain and attract talent.
- Get rid of all of the overpaid figureheads at the senior level. A lot of the work (strategy AND execution) is being done by brilliant junior and mid-level staff. Recognise them and do all you can to grow them.
- Really take requests for international relocations seriously and make them a reality. For too long, it has been treated so flippantly.
- Encourage more integration and communication within the network, at all levels, not just at the senior level. It's a real weakness and evidently clear to clients.
- Take your eyes away from the bean counter and actually live your values. Get to know the men and women who work 16-hour days for you. Reward personal and professional accountability, boldness, and those who foster collaboration and diversity.

Pros

Excellent office location, opportunity to work on global clients

Cons

Management disrespectful towards junior staff, no work/life balance, little line-of-sight into changes within the larger firm

Advice to Senior Management

Appreciate all staff, foster work/life balance, do not tolerate inappropriate/disrespectful behavior

Pros

H&K hosts some of the smartest, most brilliant minds I have ever met. Senior management has always been very approachable and there I would consider everyone I work with a 'friend'. In fact, I always feel supported in every project/decision I make here at H&K.

Cons

Albeit great benefits, the compensation for junior and mid-level employees is low. It is very hard to move up the ladder, you almost need to leave the company and come back later in your career.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep on being supportive, kind and inspiring... however, it's also equally important to show your gratitude and appreciation through promotions and salary adjustments.

Pros

A wonderful place to build a career. Great people, clients and culture. Incredible opportunities to grow and develop. Not seen an agency I like better. Strength in Europe, Middle East and Asia the jewel in the crown

Cons

As with an international agency the network can be patchy. The US isn't as strong as it used to be or needs to be

Advice to Senior Management

The merger with Public Strategies provides an opportunity to build a strong US business. But with the change that is happening I would make every effort to preserve the culture as it's very special. H&K is the most international agency - that gives it a real advantage over its US-centric competitoirs

Pros

Friendly environment with positive and collaborative colleagues. Exposure to different types of clients. H&K is results oriented. Great package. Overall, a nice environment to work in.

Cons

As it is a global company, sometimes reaching staffs in other countries / time zones can be challenging. Work hours can be very long (like all PR firms).

Advice to Senior Management

I think if we can have more training for junior staffs it will be great, especially in digital client servicing and work/life balance.

Pros

Good team spirit
You get to work on interesting projects sometimes
Relatively good comp compared to firms in same region

Cons

No significant impact on clients' business
No fun if you run into an incompetent boss
WS is doing a better job in China lately
If you like consulting, go to management consulting; if you like marcomms, go to consumer goods marketing; if you are a good journalist, stay there. Go to PR firms if you can't make the above.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire consultants who have a track record to manage accounts.
Hire directors who know the practice to lead practices.
Hire people who know the region to lead regional offices.

Pros

Depending on your superior, this can be a great company to work for. But you need to be an absolute selfstarter and networker.

Cons

Better career/ advancement planning. Salary could be better. live what you preach, especially in regards to changes within the company itself

Advice to Senior Management

live what you preach, especially in regards to changes within the company itself. Embrace the potentials of new technologies.

Pros

People here are friendly and nice

Cons

Some directors do not have enough expertise

Advice to Senior Management

Hill and Knowlton