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High Speed Two Reviews
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    High Speed Two Reviews

    Updated 10 September 2018
    63 reviews

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    2.9
    StarStarStarStarStar
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    Approve of CEO
    High Speed Two CEO Mark Thurston
    Mark Thurston
    19 Ratings

    63 Employee Reviews

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    Pros

    • "This is the largest infrastructure project in Europe and our teams comprise experts from many different countries" (in 11 reviews)

    • "Also, 'The largest engineering project in Europe' carries a lot weight in getting into rooms with world class suppliers and 3rd parties" (in 5 reviews)

    Cons

    • "Communication from Senior Management" (in 4 reviews)

    • "and with no audit trail no one will be held accountable" (in 3 reviews)

    More Pros and Cons

    1. "Great place to work!"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      Pros

      I was lucky with the managers I had and the team around me but I loved my time at HS2 and developed enormously. Senior leaders were approachable and friendly and there was a flat working hierarchy which enabled development

      Cons

      Working with government department's can be tricky when elections change priorities but that is both a challenge and something that keeps the role interesting. Embrace change!

    2. "Life @"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee

      I have been working at High Speed Two full-time

      Pros

      Nice building at Canary Wharf

      Cons

      High dissatisfaction amongst staff - v depressing

      3. Join the High Speed Two team
      See Our Latest Jobs

    3. Helpful (3)

      "All the good people have left, absolutely no leadership from management"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I have been working at High Speed Two full-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      Met some great people during my time working here
      Flexible working - although this depends on which team you're on
      Good office space / location

      Cons

      Poor management - lacking leadership, direction, and everything in between
      Low staff morale - due to constant organisation re-structures and severe lack of opportunities of progression
      Contractors run the show, permanent staff are left to fend for themselves

      Advice to Management

      Ratio of senior management and entry level/professional staff needs a major shake up. This is an ongoing project lasting for decades. We need fresh, innovative talent. Not middle aged men hanging onto their high salaries, stopping anyone hoping to progress. There needs to be major change for HS2, the cracks are well and truly showing. Such a shame, because with the right outlook and focus, this could be one of the most exciting projects to work on in the UK

    4. Helpful (3)

      "Disappointed with the ongoing bad publicity"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Neutral Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at High Speed Two full-time

      Pros

      Salaries are very high. In fact too high. I feel guilty at times with my high pay.

      Cons

      Despair at the ongoing bad publicity about HS2 meaning it is hard to be proud to work for HS2. I'm sure a lot of the bad publicity could have been avoided if management tried to deal with it.

      Advice to Management

      Need to get to grips with the ongoing bad publicity and to stop making excuses and to deal with it instead. For example do we really need to pay 1 in 4 over 100k. Don't believe so. I'm happy for my role to take a large pay cut to market rates.

    5. Helpful (1)

      "Poor leadership clouds an otherwise enjoyable place to work"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      Pros

      An ambitious project with good people

      Cons

      Staff have suffered due to a series of organisational changes and a distinct 'Network Rail' culture

      Advice to Management

      Remove those at the top who do not represent the company's values

    6. "Very exciting project. Lots of new and challenging work."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Analyst in London, England
      Current Employee - Analyst in London, England
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at High Speed Two full-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      As a constantly evolving scheme, the work is challenging, exciting, and varied. There is the potential to make real progress and impact key decisions. Plus, it pays very well in comparison to equivalent positions with an excellent work life balance. The people are really great and most have a real belief in the project.

      Cons

      Can often feel a bit disorganised with changes in organisational structure, office moves, and the like talking it's toll on morale. As a construction lead project, frequently it is easy to feel sidelined if you're not sat within Phase One Construction. Additionally there needs to be more thought when hiring people with valuable skills as it often becomes a default to move work over to consultants as many employees are not able to fulfil their duties.

      Advice to Management

      Be more transparent with employees and communicate down.

    7. "Middle Management"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Manager
      Former Employee - Manager
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I worked at High Speed Two full-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      Good working environment, new build and fully equipped offices, with up to date meeting room provisions

      Cons

      Lacking organisational culture, think this will improve over time, as reasonably new organisation.

    8. "Ups and downs"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Project Controls in London, England
      Current Employee - Project Controls in London, England
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at High Speed Two full-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      Great team on a delivery level, great social aspects, building a really complex train network.

      We have the opportunity to make something great.

      Cons

      Poor system decision making has lead to system integration not supporting staff to be as efficient as we can be. Reporting of complex data is being requested far too early to meet superficial deadlines.

      Become less “corporate” and become more agile. It takes far too long to make important decisions, and once they are made it’s too late.

      Advice to Management

      Report after the final reports are generated, directly from the supplychain. Implement joined up systems.

    9. Helpful (3)

      "Nice people, bad management, a complete mess"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Neutral Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I worked at High Speed Two full-time

      Pros

      A big, exciting project that is genuinely needed.
      It has attracted lots of good people, willing to go the extra mile.

      Cons

      HS2 claims to go around the world to find the best talent, and always comes back with the middle aged dregs of the rail and consulting industry. Old lags employ their mates, and bad cultures from older organisations are imported.

      Advice to Management

      Replace the top two layers with innovators, people who understand how to develop a culture of accountability and excellence.

    10. Helpful (2)

      "Acquisition"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Doesn't Recommend
      Positive Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at High Speed Two full-time

      Pros

      Exciting project to be on that is well respected externally. Good chance to stay in they job for some time given scale of the project

      Cons

      Too much red tape to do anything autonomously. Feel like I am a secretary processing governance documents for senior management

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