AO - Architects Orange reviews

-Company culture does not value employees as individuals. At its core, AO is about making money; the company sees employees as task completers, not individuals who require investment and opportunities for growth and professional development. You'll often hear management say things like "Can I use PersonX this week? I'm on a deadline." -Throughout the pandemic, the firm complied only with the bear minimums of health and safety required by law. "Efficiency" and "productivity" were consistently prioritized over well-being, and the partners have an antiquated view of remote-work. -Company culture and deadlines stifle innovation, creativity, and curiosity. Meeting the client demands and their tough deadlines will trump design quality and work/life balance--every single time. -Though they are making efforts at improving, the corporate stance on social issues, sustainability, and diversity are nonexistent. -Management is quick to pigeonhole junior hires and because of the heavy workload, people will rarely be given additional opportunities to prove their capabilities. -In general, but with some exceptions, socializing is completely separated from the firm culture at AO. It is hard to make friends here, particularly if you are not outgoing. Most employees are so buried in work that they keep to themselves and often don't even take a lunch break--they'll simply eat lunch at their desk while working. -The firm rarely turns down a job, which means employees are overworked and burn-out is consistent and indefinite. -Pay is average, especially given the workload. Further, it is very difficult to get raises from the partners as they prolong and delay annual reviews due to being too busy. Raises take 2 months to negotiate, and that is company-wide. It feels like the partners deliberately delay paying more. -The physical office spaces are dark, isolating full-height cubicles in windowless buildings, and their is absolutely no possibility of that ever changing. -Management and leadership skills vary wildly at the upper levels. Some principals are competent and empowering leaders, others are not. -Partners keep the status quo to protect profits and are seemingly very uninterested in innovating design or improving company culture. BOTTOM-LINE: -If you are not outspoken on your values, or skilled at advocating for yourself, I would seek employment elsewhere. -If you desire a high degree of variety in your workday, or you value work/life balance and spending time with your family, I would seek employment elsewhere. -If you like sunlight, I would seek employment elsewhere. -If you expect your employer to invest in you and foster your professional growth, I would seek employment elsewhere.

Hire and fire model with a very high turnover rate. More like a collection of small offices than a large firm they claim to be. The partners can run their studios however they like. There are no standards, processes or on boarding provided at the time of hire. No communication from partners and principles about future work, often sit around with nothing to do.