Great culture, poor HR & management - Anonymous employee AKQA Employee Review

3.0
18 Sept 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The team I worked with were amazing people and I'm still friends with some of them. Great local culture led from the bottom-up that managed to hold onto a little of that innovative tight-knit start-up mentality. Great work-life balance most of the time, and I'm pretty sure you can still WFH whenever you want but that might've changed. Promotions were pretty regular. Junior to Lead in 4-7 years if you're good.

Cons

High turnover across all levels. Pay's usually below average for the role unless you're a superstar. Benefits aren't much more than legal entitlements either. Managers are hit-and-miss. Some are fantastic and supportive, others may be empire-building, or so untrusting that they either micromanage or refuse to delegate at all. HR used to be for the workers but are now for the company. They may unilaterally change your JD or entire role or do other things that some might call constructive dismissal. Know your rights.

Explore other reviews about AKQA

5.0
23 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The people are why you work there.

Cons

There were some rough hires before I left

3.0
2 Jul 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Design and Strategy teams on the west coast in 2021-2023 incredibly smart and strong in their craft. Overall it is hard not to be impressed with the output and some of what the brand can produce

Cons

NY and DC teams were unpleasant. Competitive fearful vibe compared to other creative and tech industries I have been in. My guess is because everything is based on what accounts and projects they can capture and during this time tech accounts were pulling out of further business as their markets slowed. WPP (the parent company) began lay offs and shuttered whole agencies exasperating this.

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