Stagnant, comfortable firm: unwilling to take on risk in order to adapt and grow - Engineer Ghafari Associates Employee Review

3.0
Oct 7, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- The company recognizes the top talent and seeks to nurture it - Well-respected A&E firm - Independent working environment if you have earned manager's trust - Opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and learning within architecture and engineering

Cons

- Business units operate in silos resulting in missed opportunities for cross-selling within the organization - No future vision for all non-architecture business; lack of strong leadership in these areas to carve out new business - Lacking mobility with no apparent system of succession planning or mentoring - Operates like a large corporation - very hierarchical and formal working atmosphere leading to poor communication and shortage of hands-on leadership focused on employee development - High risk during economic recessions in part because of little to no investment in vision and areas of future growth during periods of economic growth

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Ghafari Associates Response
5y
Thank you for taking the time to provide such detailed feedback. It's insight like this that helps us understand where we are hitting the mark and where we can improve. That said, we respectfully disagree with some of your assessments. We pride ourselves on being a forward-looking, entrepreneurial organization that is focused on diversifying our service offering, expanding our impact, and providing our team members with meaningful opportunities to grow.

Explore other reviews about Ghafari Associates

5.0
Oct 13, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

1) Good health benefits 2) Getting good experience of different projects 3) Decent pay

Cons

1) Very tight deadlines always

3.0
Jul 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

• Great opportunity to learn and grow professionally. • Worked on a wide variety of interesting projects. • Many knowledgeable and supportive coworkers. • Strong place to build technical and project management experience. • I was able to advance my career and take on increasing responsibilities over my 11 years.

Cons

• Communication between departments often felt siloed. • Leadership could be more transparent about company decisions and policy changes. • More mentorship and support for project managers would be beneficial. • In my experience, opportunities for advancement did not always feel based solely on performance, and personal relationships sometimes appeared to carry significant influence. • Remote employees would benefit from more consistent treatment and clearer expectations. • Management styles varied significantly between departments, which led to inconsistent employee experiences. • Administrative tasks often took priority over developing project management and leadership skills.

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