Going Downhill Since Purchase by WSP
Pros
The firm has worked on some of the most innovative and landmark infrastructure projects across the globe. Vacation benefits are quite good in the sense that you are encouraged to use as much of your vacation time as you want each year. Good work-life balance - though downtime between projects means your job can get quite boring for blocks of time. The firm is a good place to begin a career - but not ideal if you plan on staying several years.
Cons
The recent integration with WSP has led to an exodus of key leaders and talent. WSP management has noted PB's high cost base in its most recent financial report - which was reflected in low pay raises received this year by many employees across the firm. Per company policy, younger employees do not receive annual bonuses (they are only eligible for the spot bonus program - with awards minimal in amount). The company is very silo-ed and geographies/technical centers/business groups do not collaborate as much as they should with one another. Promotions are very hard to come by unless you play "office politics" and actively angle for one. The firm tends to hire senior leaders and managers from outside the company - making internal promotions very difficult to come by. Mid-level managers are not empowered to guide and promote their direct reports - turnover is very high at a junior level. The company's annual performance review process is nonsensical. The performance review form does not align well with the goal-setting form that employees are required to fill out at the beginning of each year. Health insurance costs are high compared to other firms, due to the nature of the company and the demographic characteristics of the workforce.