Grew to fast and couldn't sustain it - Former Employee (Not Disgruntled - Just Disappointed) dxw Employee Review

3.0
18 Jul 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great work life balance and a very supportive culture

Cons

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. This concept seems quite prevalent at dxw. Despite the many positives about the company, the biggest issue I encountered was the lack of flexibility in their ways of working. When you join, you are expected to "fall in" line with how things are done. New ideas or suggestions for improvement are rarely considered, especially if you are on a lower pay grade. This rigidity can be a significant hindrance to learning and growth. While the Learning & Development (L&D) budget is fantastic, we learn best by doing. At dxw, however, work is often red penned with a "I prefer my way" attitude rather than providing constructive feedback with clear reasons for why a different approach might be better. Management is very transparent, which I always valued. However, some past decisions regarding rapid growth proved to be unsustainable, leading to numerous redundancies. This had a significant impact on morale, and before I left, the atmosphere was notably poor. Don't be fooled by the employee ownership aspect either. It doesn't really mean much, as there is a significant loan to pay off before employees see any tangible benefits. Think of it like a mortgage. Promotion feels very difficult also.

Explore other reviews about dxw

4.0
21 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Good fun culture - Creative leadership and solid operational management - Excellent depth of design experience

Cons

- Small overall agency size means less scope for growth - Strong current focus on billable time vs scope for development & training

4.0
11 Apr 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Varied work Great people to work with Perks

Cons

Not seeing the end of work due to consultancy realities Leadership politics at times

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