HKS Reviews
90% would recommend to a friend
(372 total reviews)
Dan Noble
97% approve of CEO
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Top Review Highlights by Sentiment
Excerpts from user reviews, not authored by Glassdoor
- "Cares about you as a person and has a great culture!!! Just ask everyone who joins after being at other places for years" (in 23 reviews)
- "Great leadership in the firm that trains younger generations to insure a strong continuing foundation in the firm" (in 19 reviews)
- "directional, and unsupported by management who care more about the productivity of work, than the education behind it." (in 12 reviews)
- "Employee base pay is very low in roles below VP and bonus structure is not transparent." (in 9 reviews)
- "Upper management plays favorites and the promotions process is 100% based on who the favorites of the principles are regardless of skill." (in 5 reviews)
Ratings by Demographics
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Found 372 of over 435 reviews
Updated Nov 10, 2023
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- 5.0Nov 10, 2023PrincipalCurrent Employee, more than 8 yearsSalt Lake City, UT
Pros
Fantastic team and project opportunities
Cons
This is a fantastic group of folks, no negatives
- 5.0May 15, 2023AssociateCurrent Employee, more than 8 years
Pros
All leaders I have worked with have cared deeply about my career development and goals. They have allowed me to steer my career based on my interests since the beginning all while supporting me along the way. As I have progressed into a role that I am managing people, leadership continues to support me while guiding me on how I can provide support and lead the younger or new staff on our team. Our culture has shifted over the years I have been here but for the most part, it has continued to be conducive to a happy and healthy work environment. Our Flexible Work Program has a huge part in this. I am happy and healthier in my work and personal life because of this.
Cons
HKS does have so many practices which ideally would allow people to jump to doing a new type of work that they are interested in. This can be hard to do in a timely manner based on project schedules. I have seen this improving but of course these decisions and the timing of them have to align with what makes sense for the business first. I have however seen it to be increasingly easy to transfer from office to office which helps expedite this timing in some cases. There are many initiatives at the firm. Most are great ideas but a lot of times they lose focus on the primary goal. Leadership could help with keeping them on track by staying engaged and encouraging them to refocus when needed but that can easily become extremely time consuming for leaders to take on. Benefits decisions need to be made with an employee first mindset. I think we do this in some cases but it's not consistent.
- 5.0Nov 2, 2023CommunicationsCurrent Employee, more than 5 yearsDallas, TX
Pros
Working at HKS is a privilege. The health-centric benefits and support for overall well-being are exceptional. Their commitment to inclusion fosters an environment of belonging. HKS is unwavering in its dedication to sustainability, evident in its low carbon footprint initiatives. I'm proud to contribute to their mission.
Cons
Most cons come from working at a large size firm
- 4.0Jul 27, 2023Design Professional IICurrent Employee, more than 1 yearDallas, TX
Pros
-Teammates and bosses care about individuals, and what their needs are. -Transparency regarding bonus / salary structure, and what is needed to move "up the ladder." -Project types are varied, so the work doesn't become mundane. -Integration of designers / architecture teammates -Benefits for licensing and professional organizations are incredible and generous for the industry. -WFH / flex policy is generous and typically respected -Work / life balance is generally respected, despite some projects needing additional time and potential for overtime is always there, it's not something that happens on a weekly basis.
Cons
-Benefits / Healthcare - there could be more affordable traditional plan options, HSA plans are cheaper though, and there is a Wellness Credit that makes it even more affordable -Sometimes responsibilities on projects arent clear, and who is playing what role - the "titles" are so broad that it can be challenging to know the flow for each project.
- 4.0Nov 8, 2023Design Professional ICurrent Employee, more than 1 yearNew York, NY
Pros
good people, respect for time
Cons
corporate environment, less opportunities for remote workers
- 4.0Oct 25, 2023Designer 1Current Employee, more than 1 yearChicago, IL
Pros
Pretty much make your own career - your own hours (to a certain extent)
Cons
Leadership doesn't seem to get to get to know every, They rather stick to themselves when it comes to "culture" events. Also promotions seem to be an issue...
- 4.0Sep 7, 2023Architectural Job CaptainCurrent Employee, more than 5 years
Pros
Great project opportunities, freedom to ask for involvement of different project types/ phases, wealth of knowledge, lots of resources when in need, flexible work environment, bosses that understand work life balance
Cons
Very corporate, very large firm, difficult to stand out to highest decision makers.
- 4.0Oct 11, 2023Job CaptainFormer EmployeeLos Angeles, CA
Pros
Good people for the most part
Cons
Cliques are common to come by
- 4.0Sep 25, 2023Architectural DesignerCurrent Employee, more than 1 yearMiami, FL
Pros
Hybrid work Culture Project exposure Professional growth Office
Cons
Lower pay than most places Not fully remote N/a N/a N/a
- 5.0Sep 24, 2023Design Professional ICurrent Employee, more than 1 yearChicago, IL
Pros
nice work environment in HKS
Cons
Conference rooms are too small to accommodate staffs
HKS Reviews FAQs
HKS has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5, based on over 435 reviews left anonymously by employees. 90% of employees would recommend working at HKS to a friend and 79% have a positive outlook for the business. This rating has improved by 4% over the last 12 months.
90% of HKS employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews. Employees also rated HKS 4.1 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.2 for culture and values and 4.3 for career opportunities.
According to reviews on Glassdoor, employees commonly mention the pros of working at HKS to be senior leadership, benefits, career development and the cons to be management, compensation.
