I Love Working at the Bank - Anonymous employee FHLBank Chicago Employee Review

5.0
Apr 20, 2023
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The Bank is a truly special place to work. It is a mission-focused organization and I love knowing that I’m contributing toward positive work in the affordable housing and economic development space. The people here are warm, approachable, and have a genuine desire to help one another — not to mention, they’re some of the most talented individuals I’ve ever collaborated with. My manager takes the time to hone in on my strengths and empower me to develop in my career. I appreciate the coaching culture and all the work HR puts in to ensuring there’s an open line of communication between employees and managers. It’s pretty life-changing to be in an environment where questions are welcomed, new ideas are celebrated, and mistakes are seen as a part of the process or as opportunities to grow. This mentality allows a person to relax, bring their best self to a team, and to create their best work. There’s never a dull moment at the Bank and for the first time in my career, I can truly say I enjoy my role and find my work fun and exciting. Comp, benefits, and PTO are extremely generous here and I am so grateful for the hybrid work model. I get the flexibility of being at home for a few days a week and soaking up extra hours of personal time, and I get to see my team a couple days a week too. The office is beautiful and there are so many great spaces to focus in on a project or to collaborate with colleagues. The Old Post Office is close to the Metra train stations and it’s a stunning building with amazing amenities. The rooftop is awesome and the restaurants downstairs in the food hall are top-notch. The Bank also offers a Fooda delivery program with a discount for employees too, so it’s an affordable and efficient way to grab lunch. There is an unmatched commitment and path for DEI at this organization and it’s embedded in all that we do. Many thanks to the DEI team for their tireless efforts and for holding space for weekly conversations and events — these actions do not go unnoticed by employees. I love attending events hosted by Employee Resource Groups and celebrating cultural moments together. I also appreciate that the Bank explores all areas of diversity and doesn’t shy away from tough or stigmatized topics. As someone who's neurodivergent, I can’t even put into words how meaningful it is to know that executive leaders see value in employees who think and process information differently. Conversations around these topics help me not feel like an outsider or “less than.”

Cons

Not many I can think of!

Explore other reviews about FHLBank Chicago

5.0
Feb 20, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I enjoy my job, work with wonderful people, and feel valued at work. The office is nice. Happy with the benefits and events at work.

Cons

My experience has differed from many recent negative reviews - the company is pretty siloed, and culture seems to vary significantly across departments. I agree with the previous reviews about HR being hostile.

2
avatar
FHLBank Chicago Response
4mo
We are proud to provide a collaborative and supportive workplace for employees. Our competitive benefits, ample learning opportunities, and inclusive culture ensure employees feel valued in their roles. We recognize that consistency across departments is important and continue to focus on strengthening collaboration and alignment across the organization. We always encourage employees to share their perspectives through our internal channels for any concerns they have so we can continue to evolve our ways of working with each other and in support of our mission.
1.0
Jan 13, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Office is in a good location. Benefits are decent compared to similar organizations. However, pay isn't very competitive. Some individual contributors are genuinely good people and easy to work with.

Cons

Policies change frequently and often at the expense of employees, with limited transparency or advance communication. This creates an environment where long-term planning—career, compensation, or work-life balance—is difficult. HR involvement tends to be reactive and performative rather than supportive. Escalations frequently prioritize risk management over employee advocacy, which can feel adversarial instead of neutral. The culture is highly political. Visibility and appearing busy are often rewarded more than measurable outcomes or delivered value. In practice, this encourages performative work rather than effective work. Many teams rely heavily on contractors for execution while FTEs manage optics and process. Contractor-to-FTE conversion is rare and slow; in my experience, it can take several years and often depends more on organizational politics than performance. This may be a tolerable environment for those comfortable navigating bureaucracy and ambiguity, but it is frustrating for high performers, those seeking clarity and stability, or contractors expecting a clear path to conversion.

7
avatar
FHLBank Chicago Response
5mo
We are proud of the competitive benefits we offer employees to ensure they feel well supported and are able to do their best work. We agree that we have very talented and dedicated employees; we make sure they have ample opportunities to contribute to meaningful work that has a long-term impact in support of our mission. We understand that periods of change can feel challenging. Like many organizations, we continue to evolve in response to business needs. Employees at all levels play an important role in helping shape our priorities, and we encourage them to bring their perspectives forward.
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