A very disappointing experience - Associate Director Ipsos Employee Review

While the Ipsos name on a CV generally evokes positive feelings, my experience proves that it's hardly amazing to work at this company. The list of cons is extensive: - Incompetent line managers who are unable to work with teams, let alone taught how to manage them - No transparency beyond the team - team directors get away with murder and nobody notices. - No support for people development, constant criticism and a complete lack of encouragement and acknowledgement of employees. - Slapped on the hands if not seen to speak to certain people at the frequency at which directors expect it to happen. - There is a lack of autonomy in almost every task any person is expected to perform. They need to consult at least 2 other/more senior people before a decision is made to act. Needless to say, this causes tremendous delays and endless discussions which ultimately affects clients. - Total lack of cooperation between departments, every unit works as a silo and is after their own targets without actually willing to help departments that depend on them. - Clients' interests are not at all on the agenda. There is an extraordinary amount of internal politics. - Impossible to take any time off for about 5 months every year due to heavy workload. Total lack of knowledge in resource management and employees made to beg for days off each year. - Senior management very far removed and uninterested in what actually happens below them. They all want to appear as being friends and to be seen as research experts but they are really not, they rely heavily on those underneath them for that. What they are good at is politics. - HR staff turnover is very high due to which they are not of any help.