Robert W. Baird & Co. Reviews

Pros

Incredibly talented associates, incredible culture.

Cons

Not as diverse as they should be

Pros

challenging, great on the resume, not a public company, small cohesive teams, exciting projects, entrepreneurial, ability to work on what you find interesting, easy to talk to people/willing to help

Cons

may work more hours than you think

Advice to Senior Management

continue to promote that the firm is a "top 100 company to work for"

Pros

Small office environment.
Decent pay.
Boutique firm environment without the super stuffy feel of most wirehouses.
Tuition and licensing reimbursement.

Cons

Small office environment.
Poor Senior management.
No room for advancement.
High turnover of Senior Management.

Pros

Flexible, structured, low-leveraged firm with solid growth.

Cons

Good 'ol boys' club - few women in upper management.

Pros

Family life balance is great, some very good people still there. Used to be a great company to work for. Good Benefits and Employee Owned.

Cons

Former culture is rapidly declining in some areas, many good people have left/ been let go. No longer the Baird that made the Fortune Top 100.

Advice to Senior Management

You have brought in elements that do not fit the old Baird Culture. You have lost some very smart, loyal, and talented people. Expect to see you drop further down the Fortune 100 list, as you have compromised your standards and way of life.

Pros

Real deal experiences and lots of exposure to senior management team

Cons

They lack the good training on people.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire local people when expanding into new markets

Pros

Baird historically has a wonderful culture and the employees work as a team. The firm remains a wonderful place to work and stay for a career

Cons

The recent changes in the challenge of the marketplace were felt by all especially mid to small size companies as Baird is. Unfortunately of late they had to make diffcult decisions of where to focus reinvestment and the unit I was with did not seem to take a priority. However, one unit does not make a firm.

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to do well and provide a wonderful client experience through a great culture.

Pros

They seem to care about employees, their well being and balance between work and home.

Cons

Health coverage. Some areas of technology.

Advice to Senior Management

Have a clear vision and stay the course. Goals of the firm seemed to change frequently. Decide what you want to be and stick with it!

Pros

Laid back culture for an investment bank. Great client exposure. Good people. Good place to learn the business. Solid reputation.

Cons

It's a tough job that requires long hours and you aren't always adequately compensated for it. Less brnad recognition than wall street.

Advice to Senior Management

More transparency in decision-making. Think ahead and consider how decisions are going to affect the junior staff and elicit feedback.

Pros

Baird treats its employees very well, in terms of both compensation and work/life balance. The firm is more employee-centric than competitors, and being privately-held is a huge benefit. From my experience, the firm held the trust of its clients and respect of its middle-market peers.

Cons

The attitude toward risk-taking is fairly conservative, and the company seems content to maintain its moderate pace of innovation and growth. However, I don't think many employees (who are grateful for their jobs right now) are second-guessing the company's strategy at the moment. The people are sharp, but the firm isn't on the cutting edge in terms of technology or services offered.

Advice to Senior Management

At last check, it seemed they were doing a fine job of keeping the firm safely out of the financial sector's worst troubles, and taking share from competitors too.