Laughlin/Constable Reviews

Pros

The reason I wanted to work here is because of the family-friendliness. I love that I can have a career and a family and never feel like one outweighs the other. Plus I have a family-friendly schedule, so I can stay home one day/week with my family.

I've always felt recognized for what I do to help the business and feel my coworkers are more positive and helpful than other places that I've worked.

Great hours and I love the summer hours and early dismissal days.

I've never had the 'yuck' feeling of coming to work in the morning. I enjoy what I do, where I am and who I'm with.

Cons

Things change quickly in this industry, so sometimes the work that I do can becomes obsolete quickly. For instance, there could be a rush to start and complete a project. Within 2 days the client changes their mind and now 2 days of work doesn't matter anymore.

It would be nice if the company would either pay for parking or gym memberships.

Advice to Senior Management

To help us all feel part of Laughlin Constable, be sure to keep the communication open with all of the employees.

Pros

- Co-workers are fun to work with and help each other out
- Love the work hard, play harder atmosphere
- There is flexibility to work from home and take time off for family
- Management's doors are always open, willing to negotiate and help proactive employees advance

Cons

- Parking is expensive
- Business is growing faster than they can hire so it can be a little busy at times

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to support your employees and make the workplace fun!

Pros

- Fun, relaxed environment
- Great hours
- rarely worked late

Cons

- Low Pay
- HR given too much control over things management should be taking care of
- Poor workers are kept around just to "be nice"

Advice to Senior Management

Departments should be making hiring and firing decisions, not HR. Employees should also be compensated fairly based on title and performance.

Pros

Family time off
Benefit package

Cons

Meanless reviews
Few raises
Lots of extra work

Advice to Senior Management

Everything comes back around so be honest upfront!

Pros

They are very understanding when it comes to granting time off for personal or family related matters.

Cons

The pay is horrible and below the average of other firms their size.
There is no true diversity. In all the years I have worked here I can count on one hand the minority employees.
There is no room for advance nor opportunities. They will give you the title but no real advancement.
Employees/coworkers tend to be overly catty.

Advice to Senior Management

Honesty in all manners needs to be embraced. The firm is filled with an air of whispered comments and hiding secrets. Very much like a dysfunction household where people put on smiles to cover all the negativity taking place around them.

Pros

I have worked at a few agencies in the Milwaukee area over the last 15 years and I find Laughlin Constable to be the best agency. The Management cares about their employees. My fellow workers are respectful, helpful and enjoyable to be with. Definitely team spirit! Management allows their employees to grow within their field and beyond if desired. I always feel like there is an open door and someone who will listen whether it be with my manager or with Human Resources. There is a really nice balance between work life and family life which from my experience so many agencies lack. Throughout the year we have pot lucks, raffles, Holiday theme events, the saying of "It's the little things that count " is true. Things like that just add to the great environment that we have at L/C.

Cons

This really has nothing to do with the agency its self , but it is really the only negative I can think of- dealing with downtown parking.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep that great foundation that you have.

Pros

A Milwaukee based mid-sized agency that has expanded to Chicago and New York City. I appreciate the Midwest mindset and craftsmanship. I find myself paving my own way as well as interfacing with senior management on a weekly basis. Amazing work place flexibility and great clients. What more could you ask for?

Cons

If you are uncomfortable with agency life then the speed of doing business might be too much for you. However I have found our team to continue to grow because of the strength in our abilities and client relationships.

Advice to Senior Management

The only advice I have for senior management would be to continue to find ways to pair the exuberance and skills of our younger staff with the knowledge and leadership of our senior staff.

Pros

- Good people in the industry
- Endless opportunity to be innovative
- Laid-back atmosphere
- Proud and seemlingly tight-knit company culture

Cons

- Poor pay compared to similar positions
- Lack of efficient processes and technology
- Complete disregard for work/life balance.
- High turnover rate
- Non existent performance review process

Laughlin is very talented in exploiting young, easily impressed recent grads by the advetising business who are eager to help and very naive. They will be hired, sucked dry, and replaced. My 3 year stint with Laughlin felt like a brutally demanding internship rather than fully fledged career. On a bright side, this is a place where some will realize their value and learn how not to be exploited for the duration of their careers elsewhere. The experiences at Laughlin will leave lasting mark on your psyche.

Advice to Senior Management

Treat your people with more respect, your policies leave lingering bad taste for those of us who left.

Pros

Pockets of good people to work with. Typical agency envirionment of little guidance/goal setting from management, which is good for self-guided/motivated individuals. Had really solid creative back in the day. Good folks in production and good creative directors to work with.

Cons

The two previous fluff and spinned reviews by HR below. A 5? Really? Only positives listed under the Cons? Perhaps starting with honesting and integrity instead of skewing the results.

No career path.

Average salary and benefits (for your title that is). However, being a small agency, they staff lean. Meaning they have no problem titling you an art director but will hold you responsible for creative director level work. On the account side, I've seen them staff lean as well. Hiring Senior Account Exectives, yet working them at Account Superviser or even Account Director levels. Seen them burn through many as those guys as they pick up the slack for absence of critical dept functions such as project management, traffic, billing, and art buying.

Advice to Senior Management

Be honest & transparent. There's potential hear, expand beyond Milwaukee/Wisconsin accounts. Take your game to the next level.

Pros

Family friendly. Smart people. Fun atmosphere. Offices are located in two great cities, Chicago and Milwaukee. LC has some of the finest, proven talent around. They're careful not to work people into a frenzy and strive to be a relaxed, enjoyable work environment. That's probably why they attract the best people and keep providing great creative solutions for their clients. The employees look out for one another and truly care about each other. LC has been the recipient of numerous awards for their work and their work environment. It's easy to understand why many "past employees" come back to LC for new employment opportunities a 2nd and (sometimes) 3rd time.

Cons

Wish the two offices were right next to each other, rather than 90 miles apart.

Advice to Senior Management

Spread the word. LC is a great place, but still quite a secret!