Penske Media Reviews

Pros

I worked on an editorial team within Penske, and I actually really loved my team. My coworkers were friendly and welcoming, my managers were generally down-to-earth and understanding, and there was a lot of room to do genuinely interesting, creative work. However, the values disseminated from the top down were nothing short of disappointing, and that definitely trickled down to affect everyone else.

Cons

Management doesn't seem to have any idea what they're doing. They're buying up once-high-profile media companies, but they don't appear to have the editorial expertise to guide and grow them. They seem to be more concerned with appearing successful than actually being successful—probably PMC's main flaw. Editors are expected to be seated at their desks from 9:30 to 6:30 each day. PTO is somewhat limited. Office... holidays are kept to a minimum (Christmas Eve didn't even make the cut). Working remotely is discouraged. And Summer Fridays aren't offered. Together, these restrictions paint a striking picture: Upper management has little regard for work/life balance, and they also have an archaic understanding of what it means to be an editor. Much of an editor's job happens away from their desk—at events, on shoots, building relationships, etc. The idea that a full-time editor is not responsible enough to decide how best to spend their time is patronizing and insulting. And it seems like a decision made for the sake of optics, rather than for the sake of actual productivity. PMC spent a lot of time designing beautiful offices to house all its brands. And the offices really do look nice. However, upper management seemed to care more about keeping the offices looking pristine than making sure we could actually do our jobs in them. They didn't account for interns in one of the brand floor plans, for example, and instead of giving that brand additional seating, they shut down their internship program. (God forbid they ruin the feng-shui!) They also told staffers they weren't allowed to put anything on top of their desks (photos, gifts from PR brands, anything). Most staffers openly defied this rule, but the fact that it was stated in the first place spoke to a lack of appropriate priorities. (A pristine office is more important than an office that staffers actually want to show up to every day?)

Advice to Management

There are some really wonderful brands housed within the PMC portfolio, and many of them are full of potential. However, it's hard to build an empire (or anything, really) if the priorities trickling down from the top aren't particularly thoughtful. Trust that your employees know what they're doing. You hired them for a reason—they're responsible enough to decide whether sitting at a desk for 9 hours is the best... use of their time. Put more of an emphasis on work/life balance. Anyone who works in digital can essentially do their job from anywhere, and they might be more productive if you let them. The same is true with office holidays: The company isn't going to lose a ton of money if you give people Christmas Eve off. In fact, it make end up making more money (and it almost definitely will in the longer-term) if you focus on retaining the staff you have by treating them with respect and understanding.

Pros

I come to work each day knowing I have the autonomy to get things done & to make a difference. Employees are encouraged to share their ideas and suggestions and are given the ability to put them in motion.

Cons

Employee benefits are more expensive than other places I have worked.

Advice to Management

Continue listening to the ideas of the employees who strive to make PMC a great place to work.