Good workplace gone bad - emotion applies to client work but not how they treat their own people - Anonymous employee System1 Group Employee Review

2.0
9 Sept 2018
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good methodologies that make sense and work. Casual office environment. Ability to work from home. Good perks like extra days off at Christmas, paid sabbatical after 6 years, health insurance etc. Free snacks. London office well located, bright and airy. Work life balance is pretty good. Some excellent support teams - Ops, Legal, Finance

Cons

Threw out a brand that clients and staff loved and changed it to something that is dull and very 'system 2'. With the name change came a series of terrible decisions, from restructuring around 3 practices to getting rid of some amazing people. The consequences have been catastrophic. Over 50% of the UK account team have left in the last year. Senior management totally lost sight that the people make the business. Restructuring into 3 practices was meant to bring business efficiencies but it has done nothing of the sort and instead created a disjointed client experience and limited variety and skills built by staff, most of whom have since left or are planning to. Some of the people put in leadership positions have no leadership skills and have created disorganised, messy and uninspiring teams. Until this is sorted out, people will keep leaving. Overall it just feels like it has lost its way. The situation has gotten so desperate that a panic has set in so people can now be promoted (deserved or not) or get huge pay rises just by threatening to leave. HR function impotent - purely administrative, despite all the problems they have done nothing to help, staff don't know what they do or why they exist

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System1 Group Response
7y
Thank you for having taken the time to share your thoughts about working at System1. As you know, our industry is going through radical change at the moment. As one of our senior clients said recently “Market Research has changed more in the past 3 years than in the previous 40”. System1 is a very ambitious business - and over the past 12 months we have been changing too to ensure that we continue our drive to discover breakthrough marketing solutions guaranteed to help our clients grow more (and waste less). We do not underestimate the vital role that every single one of our colleagues plays in growing both the System1 business and helping us to spearhead our industry’s change agenda. We are absolutely committed to doing our very best to make sure that System1 remains one of the most exciting and fulfilling places for people in our industry to work. We take your feedback very seriously - and will definitely take it into account as we continue to plan for the future.

Explore other reviews about System1 Group

5.0
21 May 2024
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CEO approval
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Pros

A product and approach that clients truly love

Cons

Hard to pinpoint as the flexibility the job offers me is exactly what my lifestyle requires

4.0
26 Jun 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Over the past couple of years, there's been a strong focus on growth in the US which has resulted in consistent builds in momentum. This has meant there's more opportunity for individuals and the team as a whole. The New York location feels like an important hub for System1 again, with most new roles being built from there, while still maintaining the ability for remote work. The NY office has a lot of energy, it's a place that people want to work from, and as such the culture is bouncing back. Updated onboarding and training processes are well structured and thought out - an absolute must for a growing region.

Cons

My personal opinion is that expectations and realities of some roles are mis-aligned. The key to success at S1 is to learn as much as possible and feel comfortable applying research knowledge with clients at any stage of the sales funnel, otherwise it's easy to fall behind.

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