Pros
My tenure with Guidehouse LLC for over three years has been an extremely horrendous experience. In the beginning, the environment was more cohesive, warm, and integrated as the organization was sub-contracting for a larger firm. The dynamics with the team was very solid, clear, more open, and all-inclusive with the primary holder of the contract. The quality of the work product deliverable to include the team was very strong, concise, efficient, and effective. Though there were growing pains as it relates to the juggling act of the many tasks, meetings, and other objectives that needed to be met by the client, the group as a whole maintain a very positive attitude as well as a helping hand to ensure the team across the work streams were able to follow the request and deliver a very pleasing product. The experience at that time was very pleasant in which the employee felt very protected, experienced growth, and knowledge. A significant amount of overtime was incurred when sub-contracting for the larger firm, however, overtime was never an issue with management as there was an extensive amount of work that needed to be completed. Management requested suggestions and lessons learn from employees, which were applied to the upcoming fiscal year. As time progressed, and the organization were no longer sub-contracting for the larger firm, as the organization accepted an independent contract award, wonderful managers and other senior employees that brought years of experiences from major firms left the organization due to intense amount of stress, agitation, frustration, and hostility. This agony had a ripple effect on the employees as other senior leaders began to transfer out to other projects. During this timeframe, an extensive amount of turnover occurred. New managers and employees were brought/hired on the team as the connotation that “everyone is replaceable” was applied. Due to extreme pressure that the management team was experiencing, seasoned employees, transferred employees from other projects, and new employees began to experience the toxic, very intimidating environment. Management began to say whatever they want to people without any filters verbally on calls and in discussion meetings. Additionally, management began to belittle employees by telling them “You don’t know what you are doing”, “you need to become more prepared” during live in person meetings to include MS Teams phone call discussions; talking down to employees, even seasoned employees, as if they were beneath them, screaming during open dialects, disrespectful to others “I am talking to you!”; which caused several employees including myself to file a grievance with human resources and the ethics and compliance division. Nothing was done to create a harmonious environment. New employees that were hired on to the engagement started behaving and acting in the same manner and tone as the managers and other employees that were brought on from other engagements. They started assuming that seasoned employees work deliverables from previous fiscal years were wrong or incomplete (I just need the correct copy! I don’t care where it’s at! This looks incomplete!) when in fact the work was correct. These new employees are not experienced and are basing their assumptions/opinions from the new managers that recently joined the engagement. Management became very frustrated with the engagement to which no accountability, responsibility or liability was accounted for in the mistakes/error in delivery and communication in which the management team provided. You could feel that you were surrounded by demons or that demons were approaching you.
Cons
Furthermore, the lack of communication as to the direction in which the engagement was headed collectively as a team was apparent. If you didn’t find out what the new planning structure would be for the upcoming fiscal year from the rumor mill or if no one told you, you would have never known. In other words, management did not coordinate a discussion meeting with the entire team to explain the new structure of where the senior employees, junior employees, and other support members will be placed nor the rationale behind the decision. Employees were left confused and wandering if they did something wrong once the staffing roster was viewed. Different explanations were provided but none of them made sense as new employees were added to the roster. Most decisions as it relates to leading various segments are based on WHO they like and what they can use the person for. Note that the direction on how the deliverable is supposed to be presented constantly changes, making it difficult to maintain stability and consistency. One approach on one accord is needed for a strong unit. The environment is never balanced; Your either overwhelmed or not enough work at all. You will witness other engagements in which employees are a lot happier, blissful, and thoroughly engaged with each other. Know that switching to other engagements or project is not an option for you. As a seasoned employee, you began to sense that you are being squeezed out of the environment versus being placed on a different engagement, questioned on what you know as a subject matter expert, become aware that “every man is for themselves”, endure high stress levels, severe migraines, find yourself worn out and taking a lot of leave or planned time off, feel very embarrassed, diminished, and a slap in the face to the years invested to your career/industry. Being a hard worker, dedicated, well knowledgeable, quick learner quiet/calm, doesn’t matter as the environment is very cliquish and you began to feel like you’re not making a difference in the industry. The client is not the issue. In summary, take significant caution as the environment, depending on the engagement/project is NOT career bliss. Seek environments that are more generous, leading with kindness, have an attitude of gratitude/service to others; open to a learning, growing, and agile atmosphere that is positive, warm, welcoming and that truly enjoys sharing, collaborating, and working well with employees.