Frat boy demeanor among many men (with expense accounts!), including management-level and middle-aged ones. And absolutely *everything* that connotes.
HR is there to protect the firm's reputation. Not to protect you. Certainly not if you're a woman.
It's an investment firm. Good for you, I guess, if your ethics and politics allow you to work at such a place with zero qualms.
"Back-office" workers are most definitely treated as low caste, even though they're the ones who keep things operating. The admins, for instance, are the "moms" of the workplace and are not recognized for their immense (if "unsexy") contributions to the firm.
No work-life balance in my department. The "higher-caste" workers relished this; us "lower-caste" ones were doomed to it. This was not a sustainable way of life for me.
Managers tend to be men, though there has been a push in recent years (that started as easy talk, though it's possible this has since transformed into action) to be more respectful and recognizing of women leaders within the firm.
