Believe the good and definitely believe the bad - Data and Policy Analyst Acumen Employee Review

2.0
Feb 24, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Interesting projects that offer great exposure to the healthcare field through projects that matter and working with big data. - Flexible work environment - they seem to let people work remotely all the time. - Smart and diverse set of colleagues. - Some competent managers, but it really is dumb luck where you end up as analysts do not typically get a say in which teams they are assigned to and once assigned have little mobility within the company. - You can progress up the management chain if you prove yourself worthy. This is uneven though as some teams seems to value dynamism and encourage employee growth whereas others have very stringent management styles that stifle growth.

Cons

- Massive retention issues and low gross pay that are incompatible to living comfortably in the Bay area. - Long work hours and concurrently low hourly wages. More recently, they seem to be having issues attracting strong talent meaning that competent analysts bear a disproportionate burden of work. - Turf wars among upper management seem common. This can make for a fairly toxic environment with a lot of back biting that make for lots of negative interactions for junior analysts. - Poor management and lack of communication. Managers always seem to be on the defensive, sometimes for no explicable reason. - Employees are viewed as disposable, no matter how long they've worked at the company or what they've done for it. - Lots of unhappy employees, which makes for a demotivating environment overall. This is not surprising given the issues outlined above. - None of these issues are unique to my perspective and have been documented by multiple parties over several years. Take them seriously if you are considering working at the company. Ultimately, the cons outweigh the pros and that does not bode well for the company.

avatar
Acumen Response
9y
Thank you for your thoughtful review. We are developing programs to address many of these specific issues. The company is actively recruiting and hiring more senior management to enable the company to develop into Best Company material. HR would love to hear from you regarding any of these issues and any possible recommendations for improvement.

Explore other reviews about Acumen

5.0
Apr 18, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- The work is intellectually engaging and gave me many chances to grow technically. - I learned a lot from talented coworkers and appreciated being part of projects with real-world relevance. - There was also good exposure to translating technical work into clear, usable takeaways.

Cons

- The work can be intense and detail-heavy, and deadlines can sometimes feel demanding. - Priorities may shift quickly, which can make it hard to plan ahead. - At times, the volume of revisions and fast pace can be stressful.

avatar
Acumen Response
2mo
We've heard that this type of feedback is helpful to new graduates and prospective applicants, particularly your perspective on the pros and cons of working here. Please continue to share your experiences during your career journey with us. We wish you the best!
2.0
Jun 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great people to work with overall

Cons

Management is disorganized No incentives to want to continue working there

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All