Company: PwC
Date: 2014-03-13
Overall rating: 2/5
Employment status: current
Experience level: Confirmed

Looking for Lip Service and Back Biters? Work at PWC!
Pros: All of the negative comments that one hears about the big four are epitomized by the PWC Financial Services group.  If you are looking for a cut throat work environment that works to provide a facade of progress and decency, then the FS department is perfect for you.

PWC promises job security, its need for staff, balancing the enormous work load (that at least they recognize) with an amazing work/life balance, and great company culture.  Well, it is certainly true that nothing is what it seems.

Okay, there is one great thing about PWC and that is their dedication to providing employees with remote access.  But don't try to use it, or you'll be deemed inefficient, although you crank out more quality work than the useless intern sitting in the dank conference room, staring emptily into his screen for twenty hours at a time.
Cons: For the past three years, job security for staff had been promised, those who received outstanding personal reviews were praised, and the firm constantly preached its need for associates.  How, then, is it possible for this company to decide to cut jobs for those employees in an area of tax that is almost always understaffed?  Or, rather than transfer experienced staff into other departments, will cut their tenure short just to "send a message" - and yes, that is a direct quote.  

Well, maybe it is because the staff had the gall to cash in on work life balance, since, you know, it is somewhat necessary to have a personal life when you have a family to tend to.  Or apparently it is even worse to attempt to work outside of the department, since, you know, professional development can only exist in the vacuum of a single department.  But maybe the biggest offender was not spending time in the mind numbing company culture of "busy season fun" because, well, you know, having dinner at your desk rather than at home with your family comes before anything in your life.

If you think compensation makes up for any of this, think again.  Zero raises were given to so much staff, zero bonuses given as a result of their overproduction.