Plenty of potential but still a long way to go - some tough decisions needed - Anonymous employee BDO Employee Review

1.0
Apr 1, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good office facilities for the most part In spite of the cons, there are some good people in the firm Quite good client list - challenging work is available for staff that show the right stuff Staff catering is a nice touch - management can occasionally get it right although just because they put out a basket of fruit doesn't mean management understand or really care about the needs of staff Well resourced and lots of technical support - some genuine talent in the firm, especially across Australia but overall probably not enough to really drive the firm nationally Good size firm and in some markets could be a real threat to Big 4 if the firm were run better

Cons

Shocking culture - a fish rotting from the head HR function is awful - worst I have ever seen Potential is totally undone by poor calibre top management, out of control egos and internal politics - in short, leaders who don't show leadership Criteria for advancement to senior roles are a joke - too much dead weight at the top level and for a firm to succeed, it needs to promote its "winners" to top jobs Too many senior people whose sole strategy is to "suck up" There are some total under performers at partner level - not necessarily older partners either and some of the poorest performers are younger partners who are arrogant, devious, abrasive and poor on the technical side - there really needs to be a major cull Could not recommend this firm to friends - negatives currently totally outweigh the positives

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5.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

It was a good place to work

Cons

Can be busy at times

2.0
Jun 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There actually are great people, but you play manager roulette.

Cons

BDO is notorious for promoting people who just never leave. The middle of the road, not great, not awful, people get promoted over and over again. There have been changes every 3 seconds since the ESOP. Terrible communication around change (non-existent). My manager's favorite term was "We are building the plane as we fly it". After 4 years, I was hoping to have more plane built. It was never built.

2
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