No more than a stepping stone on the path to better opportunity - Client Manager Morningstar Employee Review

2.0
Oct 20, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- EASILY the best pro is simply the firm's name on your resume, which looks GREAT to other employers in finance/investments. - Young, diverse, energetic and intelligent workforce compared to most companies of similar size in the industry. Morningstar's undergrad recruiting strategy focuses heavily on top-tier liberal arts universities (e.g., University of Chicago, Northwestern), rather than schools with traditionally strong business programs. - Flexible time off schedule (there is no official policy stipulating PTO days granted), includes discretionary six week sabbatical every four years of employment. - Modern office design and casual dress code creates a welcoming work environment.

Cons

- Compensation across the board is SIGNIFICANTLY below market. Bonus targets are unrealistically high, and the methodology on how targets are derived is overly complex and seems to change every year. - Senior management seems to lack a clear understanding of how to implement and execute mandated business plans, which leads to continually changing goals and timelines to achieve them. - Flat organizational structure does not provide clear paths for upward career advancement. - Management is either unwilling to allocate, or worse, unable to recognize the amount of resources required, to effectively manage the business and adequately support clients. - Flexible time off schedule is abused by some employees, leading to longer hours / more work by others. - High turnover at all levels, especially among recent graduates who often become disappointed by remedial entry level work and lack

Explore other reviews about Morningstar

5.0
Apr 21, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Collaborative environment, learning mindset, great work life balance

Cons

Not a lot of exceptions for fully remote status

4.0
Apr 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Really kind people work here, for the most part everyone I have worked with is smart and I have learned so much from them. There are great benefits: unlimited PTO, 6 week paid sabbatical is earned after 4 years of employment, 6 month maternity leave. Great location of an office. Great work life balance.

Cons

Not very competitive pay and it is easy to hit a ceiling in your career development. New HR policies are kind of strange, will not promote you unless you make enough money to be promoted which they designed the system to make it so you cannot go up. HR has also laid people off because they make too much money without considering the consequences of removing senior employees with unique/not stored intelligence vital to the company. They also hired a bunch of remote employees, then implemented a 4 day required in office rule no matter if you live states away from an office, which pushed hundreds of people to quit, not receive their bonus, and not require M* to pay them severance. It didn't use to be this way but the last year or so has been strange.

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