Totally dysfunctional - it is like the wild wild west anything goes. - Director TIAA Employee Review

1.0
Jan 18, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Not much to say here other than, yes it is in New York and my manager lives on the opposite coast. So I'm to a large extent shielded from bullying tactics and childish behavior.

Cons

Like most of the reviewers have mentioned. 1. Totally bad management and leadership that is only getting worse. 2. Passive aggressive, abusive leaders. 3. People who are ethical, honest, meritorious, hard working, humble, work with integrity do not fit in with CREF culture and they will be targeted, psychologically abused for a year or so and then will be fired. I have now seen this cycle for the past 5 years. 4. Great analysts - smart, humble, hardworking, ethical people are let go every year. So the resultant pool gets worse by the year. 4. Middle management is full of bullies, so people who have no ethics, integrity and are brash and dumb will be promoted. It is a self-fulfilling, reinforcing cycle. 5. If you are a person that are a minority, or don't belong to the cliques then you are in big trouble. 6. This is a pattern in every department. It is not isolated to one department. HR, IT all filled with mediocrity and people enduring management abuse, torture and humiliation.

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5.0
Jun 1, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Culture, benefits, PTO, flexible, career growth potential

Cons

Must be in a hub for significant career growth

2.0
Jul 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good starting salary and benefits package.

Cons

The longer you’re there, the more of an expectation that you work more for the same or less income. Producers find it hard to justify staying when leadership keeps moving the goal posts on how to increase income. No rhyme or reason as to how they decide “promotions.” One advisor might have one good year and get promoted over an advisor that produces year in and year out. They fail to share revenue because they’d have a hard time justifying the income level compared to outside advisors with a fraction of the book size. They claim and depend on brand recognition to justify a capped income but fail, or just won’t admit that is why they keep losing their top talent. Operations is a nightmare that I can’t even begin to describe. When I share the processes that have been in place for over a decade, colleagues in the industry shake their head and laugh. They can’t believe we earn and keep business. The saying while I was there was “the biggest threat we face is that TIAA clients start to explore their options outside of TIAA.”

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