McMurry Reviews in Phoenix, AZ Area

Pros

I love this place and have worked here 14 years. In a year on my 15th anniversary, my "gift" isn't some pin or watch, it's $5,000 cash! The company lavishes staff with extraordinary benefits; this is but one example. I started as a part-timer in finance, and since have been promoted into jobs of increased responsibility multiple times. But, don't take my word for it, look at what others are saying. For the last three years the company has been named a Top 10 Best Places to Work in the U.S. (yes, the entire country) by the gold standard of such evaluators, the Great Place to Work Institute and the Society of Human Resource Management. In the company's anonymous annual internal survey, 79% of staff say this is the best place they have EVER worked. On a 1-5 scale (5 = thrilled), the average satisfaction level of staff is 4.11; even the people who say it isn't the best place they have ever worked still scored 3.44 satisfaction (3 = satisfied, 4 = more than satisfied). This company is remarkably transparent (shares more financial information with staff than public companies do) and loves to measure performance because things always get better when they are measured. Here's a quick story, without numbers, that says it all: when we interview people for jobs and ask them what they think of McMurry, they inevitably say, "Everyone seems so happy here."

Cons

In the annoymous survey I mentioned above, the company also asks staff what they think the company should be doing differently. This place is so good and has been so oriented toward satisfying its people for so long, that nowadays the improvement suggestions are dwindled down to things like "can we have music in the bathrooms" (which the company installed) and "there's too mcuh food around." Wow, life's good when that's all that's left that needs fixing! By the way, in response to one of the earlier comments about work/life balance, only 4 of 160-170 people said that needed to be addressed. So, while we do work hard, people here are rewarded for it, and clearly don't see it as a substantial issue. In summary, there are not many downsides (lordy, last year we all got year-end bonuses in the midst of the recession, and this year looks to have even higher bonuses), especially if you've worked elsewhere and compare this to that.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep doing what you're doing. Maintain the same priorities of 1) hiring truly talented people who fit our extraordinary culture, 2) doing everything within reason to let staff know they count and that you care about their satisfaction, and 3) continuing to manage/lead the company to the incredible success it has been achieving.

Pros

Incredible culture, friendly and helpful staff, they are constantly growing and looking to be the best in the market; Preston McMurry has build a great organization and his friendly and welcoming attitude goes a long way with employees.

Cons

Divisions are silos of knowledge; holding onto identity as a publisher which is hurting the other businesses; some of the managers are not competent. A lot of people talk about big ideas and results but rarely do what is necessary to achieve those results. A lot of time is spent talking, not doing.

Advice to Senior Management

Share knowledge across all divisions; it may cost some revenue at the outset, but it is the best long term solution for the company.

Pros

Company culture is great. Top down, managers care about staff career growth and job satisfaction. The CEO wants to make sure it is the best place to work. The staff is full of top notch professionals in every department. The creative work is award winning, and I'm proud to show people the quality of our creative work.

Cons

Hard work, you can't come here and coast. It's a company filled with top performers. You have to bring your A game every day. Food...there's free food around all the time...new staff usually gain a few pounds. Occasionally work/life balance can be a challenge.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep listening to staff, and continue the vision to keep McMurry ahead of the competitors.

Pros

I've worked at McMurry for eight years and believe the McMurry culture is wonderfully unique, it's the best place I have worked in my career, and I've been in the workforce for at least a hundred years. McMurry has been named one of the best companies to work for in the US. McMurry staff members are very bright and fun to work with, management cares and communicates openly, and everyone is encouraged to be creative and innovative. The eight McMurry values are real and do guide business decisions, so the company is ethical and forward-thinking. We focus on quality, so we can be proud of the work we do. We're not married to one media or agency mold. The company strategy has been smart, and our growth has provided great opportunities for advancement. There is regular training and coaching for career development, and staff feedback is constantly being solicited through surveys. Right now when so many companies are cutting back or folding we're doing well.

Cons

It's the best place to work; it is not necessarily the easiest place to work. McMurry's relentless focus on hiring the best people, together with a pretty lean philosophy on staffing, can create a workload that is more than some people are used to. Some really strong, seemingly qualified people don't get hired and at times that can be hard to understand. Plus, McMurry has many clients, and our staff usually find themselves working for more clients than in most agencies. The pace is fast and there is no room for slacking. Right now, however, we do have jobs with a great company that is weathering the storm really well. I'd rather work a little bit harder when times are good than have to endure layoffs when the economy is down.

Advice to Senior Management

Stay very focused on open communication, and stay focused on the big picture of company growth. That's the advice I would give senior management anywhere! McMurry management has done a really good job of balancing cost control, getting staff involved in cost savings initiatives, and rewarding innovation at the same time. Thankfully, that emphasis on innovation and growth hasn't changed with the economy.

Pros

Good reputation, growing company, cutting edge technology. Great company in theory, but could use improvement.

Cons

Lots of egos and drama. The promoting-from-within creates managers who are good at the task of their jobs, but have no management skills. Your success is based on your popularity within your department and willingness to trade your personal life for department social events. Ethical dilemma: products are over-priced, but the company is cheap to the vendors.

Advice to Senior Management

Tone down the egos. It's one thing to be proud of a job well done, but it's another when it inhibits you from listening to new ideas.