The SF office has undergone three different office managers in the last two years, each transition creating more instability than the last. Work hours are long, with a required in-office schedule of at least 8-5, with when you come in being closely monitored and enforced. While experiences may vary across pods and locations, the SF office has developed a pervasive culture of micromanagement, gossip, and back-channel politics that has significantly eroded trust.
The company often emphasizes the importance of feedback, but when employees do not trust one another or management, what incentive is there to be honest? Employees learn quickly that speaking candidly can carry professional risk, which undermines the very feedback culture the company claims to value.
The recent decision to require employees to be in the office every day, eliminating hybrid work, has further damaged morale. God forbid we miss out on the company culture of signing digital birthday cards, eating lunch at our desks, and sitting next to each other in silence. Leadership tries to boost company culture with team outings and #BestPlacetoWork campaigns, but these efforts ring hollow when the day-to-day employee experience feels like garbage.
Again, other Brighton Jones offices may have stronger cultures, but the SF office has been significantly impacted by poor middle-management decisions. The lack of a clear client transition plan following the termination of advisory team members, inadequate communication with clients regarding advisor departures, the perception that employees are treated as disposable, and the absence of clearly communicated performance expectations have all contributed to an environment of anxiety and uncertainty. These issues have left many employees feeling disengaged, paranoid about their job security, and doubtful about the office's long-term success.
Healthcare benefits are another significant concern. The current plans are Seattle-based (see: $5,000 deductibles for individuals and $10,000 for families). You'd better hope you're too young to need healthcare or be married to someone who has a plan that isn't garbage (only 1 doctor in the Bay Area takes Premera insurance).
The gap between the company's stated values and many employees' lived experiences in the SF office has become difficult to ignore. Until leadership addresses the underlying issues of trust, communication, accountability, and management effectiveness, morale initiatives alone are unlikely to resolve the deeper cultural problems.
