Company: KPMG
Date: 2012-08-21
Overall rating: 1/5
Employment status: former
Experience level: Junior

Not a good place to work for the long-term.
Pros: 1. A good learning ground with opportunities to gain exposure to different industries
2. Lots of young people - good for meeting people and making new friends
3. Numerous firm and department bonding activities
4. Clean and well-equipped working space at the Mobility Hub for staff who are constantly on the move
5. Culture of friday night drinking sessions
6. Numerous non work-related courses at subsidised rates organised by the Rec Club
7. Our own clubhouse with a pool table, foosball table, kinect, darts, board games, and food and drinks at subsidised rates
Cons: 1. Inhumane working hours - staff work more than 16 hours per day continuously over a few months, including weekends and public holidays, during the peak period. No time off in lieu is given.

2. Poor eAudIT software - extremely buggy, constantly hangs, and reduces staff efficiency by 50% or more.

3. Lack of control over quality of work - most of the time, staff have to follow-up on incomplete and poorly done work by another staff member. 

4. Lack of control in planning for personal commitments - as a junior staff member, you are not told in advance when you have to work late. You are expected to always be available to work overtime when needed.

5. High turnover rate with a lack of effort to replace staff during critical periods - remaining staff get squeezed to the limit as they take on the workload of resignees. They eventually quit and a vicious cycle ensues. 

6. Unable to enjoy Christmas (you will most likely be working) and New Year's Eve/Day (you will most likely be plotted on a stock-take).

7. No time to participate in the activities and courses organised by the Rec Club

8. Poor compensation relative to working hours - no overtime pay, no 13th months bonus, variable bonus for the last financial year was a mere 1.5 months. A 4.6% firm-wide pay-cut was carried out in 2011 to 2012.