Ghafari Associates reviews

3.9

77% would recommend to a friend

(172 total reviews)

Kouhaila G. Hammer

86% approve of CEO

74% positive business outlook

Ghafari Associates has an employee rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars, based on 172 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Ghafari Associates employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Construction, Repair & Maintenance Services industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

172 reviews
4.0
Nov 2, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Ghafari offers some unique design challenges working for prestigious clientele. The company offers competitive benefits and pay, as well as a multitude of corporate discounts. The office environment is fresh and modern, with a workforce that's very culturally diverse. They also offer amenities like a fitness center, and complementary snacks. Ghafari has the resources to stay up with cutting edge technology as well as a diversified clientele and market share, to weather fluctuations in the economy. There is much room for advancement and opportunities to work in locations across the globe. It is a destination firm for the best of the best in the A/E industry.

Cons

The level of prestige is both a blessing and a curse. Things were a little frustrating at first. My skill set was definitely under the microscope, and I had much to prove about my own capabilities and knowledge of Autodesk software applications. I had to make sure if I was suggesting improvements or pointing out discrepancies, I had absolutely every detail covered. I think some people may have felt threatened, or possibly like their work and ideas were being overridden? I don’t know, my original suggestions were met with a bit of hostility like “who do you think you are to tell us what to do?”. Being patient, diplomatic and concise eventually led to a good rapport and earned level of respect. Software is progressive, so the mindset to stay up with it has to be as well. Things in the Revit system were not built to industry standards, and I had to be very concise and detailed to prove that my suggestions were valid, practical and possible. Be prepared to have your opinions backed by multiple sources of fact and industry “best practices”.

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Ghafari Associates Response
8y
Thank you for taking the time to provide such a detailed and thoughtfully crafted review. It's insight like this that helps us understand where we are hitting the mark, and where we aren't. We so appreciate it! Thanks for being diligent in your efforts to ensure we remain a "best of the best"!
5.0
Dec 21, 2016

Good Company Steadily Improving

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Recently renovated gym and locker room, snacks everyday, free Lebanese food frequently, flexible work schedule, recently renovated space with more renovations coming, complex and challenging projects, good with keeping up on the latest software and technology available, supportive of continuing education and professional licensure, good pay and decent bonuses/raises, many talented coworkers to work with and learn from.

Cons

The nature of the AE industry seems to be waves of very busy times, when work/life balance is hard to keep, and difficult or sometimes completely incompetent clients. Overtime pay starts at 45 hours. Only 7 recognized holidays. Wellness program and penalties for lack of participation. Insurance deductibles and out of pocket maximums are pretty high although plans are cheap.

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Ghafari Associates Response
9y
Love this! Thanks for the feedback -- pros and cons. You are right, there is some take away in every response. Some clarification on the wellness program, they are no penalties for not participating - rather there are incentives to participate. More than just semantics, this program has helped many of our employees. Hopefully you were able to attend our recent "Work Perks" presentation regarding all the benefits that we offer that are under-utilized by employees and their families. If not, drop by the benefits office for more info. We recognized that we needed to do a better job of explaining how all of them work to bring the total cost of healthcare down for both you and the company. Thanks again!
5.0
Aug 17, 2016

Proud to work at Ghafari

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Working at Ghafari makes you feel you are a member of the family and you have someone takes care of you , not just an employee in the company

Cons

I work at GHafari for more than a year and honestly I did not see or feel any downsides at all , they are always helping you to go forward in your career, supporting you in all sides of the life( personally or proffisionally).

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Ghafari Associates Response
9y
Wow! This is the kind of feedback we really like to hear. Thanks for taking the time to contribute!
Viewing 16 - 18 of 172 Reviews

Glassdoor has 189 Ghafari Associates reviews submitted anonymously by Ghafari Associates employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Ghafari Associates is right for you.