Pros
Wonderful coworker collaboration made this company start strong, expand and maintain leadership in niche business for years, immune from periodic recessions. Coworkers made it a place to look forward to being every day because of professionalism and sense of responsibility. During peak years, highly qualified HR Department helped CEO upgrade company pay scale and benefits (401-K, health insurance options, Section 125 plan, Health Fairs, etc). Company used to be at forefront of digital production; a great place to be professionally.
Cons
My department manager never around, allowed personal conflicts within group to escalate, and failed to lead. There was a failure to cultivate advancement based on individual’s strengths, keeping everyone at same level. Corporate culture shifted from merit-based advancement to connection-based. Qualified employees sometimes didn’t get recognition and advancement deserved. Monthly awards given to same few individuals (even for minor acts), while others with substantial contributions passed over. This became a running joke (and “downer”) among employees. Management became arrogant and isolated, and often not open to constructive solutions for improvement. Well-researched employee proposals bogged down in endless meetings, and disappeared or became diluted and less effective. Eventually upper management too concerned with "fun" atmosphere at expense of efficiency and productivity. Noisy cubicle birthday parties and Ping-Pong tournaments in workspace distracted from conducting business with clients via phone, and quality control and production teams. These activities should have been separated from the workspace. Within a few months in 2008 all HR staff left the company, and character of HR changed drastically for the worse.