Ink reviews

3.1

45% would recommend to a friend

(305 total reviews)
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Simon Leslie/Michael Keating

65% approve of CEO

52% positive business outlook

Ink has an employee rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on 305 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Ink employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Media & Communication industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

305 reviews
1.0
Jun 15, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The only good thing about INK is that when you leave you'll have perspective. You'll never complain about how bad work is, about bad management, about dysfunctional environment, because ANYTHING after this place will feel like a walk in the park.

Cons

One star is too many - they deserve zero stars. The ONLY good reviews on here were written by Gerry or Simon. Guaranteed. You can hear it in their tone - posturing, pontificating, blaming... These two pride themselves on psychological warfare, good cop bad cop behavior. They lead with fear and chaos, making everyone around them feel like their on the verge of being fired because they think it's motivating. They enjoy creating a sales environment that's like a pit of snakes or a back alley dogfight wherein the entire "team" is fighting so hard for the "deal a day" that they undercut, lie and steal, and try to sell outside of their territories - anything they can do to get the "deal" - meanwhile, there is no order and nobody behaves with professional courtesy or self respect. NONE of the managers have any power, everything is in the hands of these two. Gerry and Simon pride themselves on attrition. They think people leave because they just "can't handle pressure" - WRONG, they leave because they have self respect and won't have their livelihood threatened on a daily basis by a couple people who can barley string a sentence together. The only people who should consider a job here, or consider staying at INK are those who have an incessant need for drama & Chaos, don't have any other options, who have no intelligence or who enjoy screwing people over because that's the only way you can succeed there - by playing nasty and by devaluing yourself and those around you. That's the example that leadership sets and the environment they foster. GROSS!

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Ink Response
9y
Thank you for your reply, but we have flagged this due to its offensive, inaccurate and toxic content.
1.0
Aug 4, 2015

Make Zero Stars an Option!

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Nothing comes to mind about the company/management Nice looking magazines, editors do a nice job Good tools available to prospect but no territory means other reps are calling on the same people

Cons

Don't care about you at all Daily emails that are insulting and disgusting - for example comparing the sales cycle to the victims of 9-11 Insane amount of turnover There is no territory so 4 other reps are also calling on the same prospect They work on fear, making you feel like you're going to lose your job everyday If you're looking to work at Ink, my advice would be to contact a current employee on LinkedIn and ask them about their experience. I bet they are looking for another job because most current employees here are looking to get out. I know if someone contacted me, I would of told them to look elsewhere!

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Ink Response
9y
Ink’s number one priority are its people. We invest in our employees in every aspect – from training and development to their well-being and taking time to get to know them on the personal level and helping them achieve their goals/dreams. Daily emails that are sent around the sales floor are in no way insulting and disgusting, they serve as motivators, reminders or are in praise for good work. At times we have experienced a staff turnover but sadly sales just isn’t for everyone. In response to this, we have updated our recruitment strategy and set up mandatory training and development programmes for all employees. During the year of 2016 staff churn has reduced. We have integrated new sales software which enables our colleagues and teams to plan ahead and effectively use all their leads in whichever territory they are targeting – without overlap. Ink’s environment is positive and open and there is no need to fear losing your job! Let us take the chance to state that we operate under strict HR policies and the only way a person can be dismissed immediately is if they have committed a gross misconduct. For any other matters, we have disciplinary procedures in place – all relevant information can be accessed in our Employee Handbook (current employees have received a copy / prospective employees can request a copy). Regarding your suggestion about contacting current employees on Linkedin – I think its brilliant idea! You can get first-hand answers and comments from them and decide for yourself.
1.0
Feb 25, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Used to be a great place to work, not any more Some of the middle management are good people, they are like parents with 2 hours sleep, they care about their kids (staff) but they are drained disheartened and clearly on the edge of a breakdown!

Cons

Where do you start? - Promised the pre COVID commission structure would be reinstated, it wasn't and it was simply not paid despite being promised. - Salary and Commission is now at an industry low, - Very little money to be earned here now, this and the above is why 2 "Vice Presidents" have left. Thats in quotations because its a BS title, they have no authority they are called VP's to give the false impression of progression and most VP's/Directors/Heads are literally people just changing their title in their signature and linked in when the contract they are on says "Sales Executive". - Dying industry, no on wants to read magazines in a pandemic, they went from 20+ magazines to less than 6. The ones they do have now are smaller than every and are on the brink of dying. - Trying to switch to a digital product that simply doesn't work for the clients yet we are forced to sell them into it anyway knowing it won't bring any ROI. - They forced people to come back into the office during a pandemic, - The atmosphere now is toxic/horrific, no one wants to be there any more, NO ONE - The responses to Glassdoor reviews says alot, sarcastic and rude responses that just highlight their attitude to criticism. Piece of advice, take the glass door password away from GR!! - Look at the 5 star reviews, they are posted very quickly after a negative review, watch there will no doubt be a couple (written by staff) added after this one no doubt. - Their longest serving people are leaving for companies that have actually recovered and/or have the potential to. - They are reliant on the airlines, studies show airlines industry might not fully recover until 2023. - The managing director just flat ignores issues, and is surprised when a VP walks out and quits at lunch. Overall, this used to be a good company, yet its has turned toxic and energy draining. At least they used to pay you enough for you to be miserable and stay. Advice to Stagwell..... Cut your losses and sell the assets, take the cash, sell on or move any valuable contracts to a different company in the portfolio. Ink will leave you better than they found you................. if they found you homeless and beaten up...

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Ink Response
5y
Sadly there are so many untruths in this review, to the point of defamation, that we have been advised to not reply in detail. Such a shame that Glassdoor take no responsibility as a publisher.
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