Limited growth within US teams. They seem to try to keep you a grade lower than you deserve for as long as possible. Small teams which are top heavy, so I guess that’s why.
Project budgets never match actual project needs. Arup underbid jobs then staff have to pick up the hours.
When you work extra hours you get scolded. When you don’t, you get told you are underperforming.
Leaders steal the ideas of motivated juniors, execute them then exclude the juniors
The rules for promotion change over time depending on staff retention. Not everyone gets the same yardstick.
Over-investment in digital and sustainability when no clients ever really focus on those areas during SMEP projects. Read every leader’s tagline.. we are now a global sustainable development consultancy… we do not live by these mantras internally. Sustainable and digital reviews rarely occur.
Investing in areas that aren’t profitable then not paying profit share when invoicing doesn’t match cash flow.. just don’t invest in areas that are never going to bring Arup cash flow, keep cash reserves and always pay profit share. Sustainability and Digital can never perform like SMEP and consulting do. If they would, then we would see that by now. Look into the project financials/statistics and publish them.
Moodle and arup university are portrayed as “the best source for training”. Really it isn’t.. when layoffs happen that training means nothing.
There’s a moving target for being in senior leadership. Some don’t hold the qualification for their region while juniors coming up are forced to attain this.
Silently but internally political within - even if challenging upwards is encouraged.
These might all sound harsh but Arup is still better than most to work for
