Harmful environment for young designers. - Designer Cognition Studio Employee Review

Everyone at Cognition is incredibly smart & talented. Additionally, the studio works with a very lucrative client base and you get exposure on really interesting bodies of work.

During tough projects, hours can be on the longer side.

Working with truly talented and kind colleagues. Work and clients that can be potentially meaningful and impactful. Decent salary and benefits.

Onboarding & Expectations There was no formal onboarding. When I flagged it, I was told I should have come into the office for my first two weeks, even though I had already been told that in-office attendance wasn’t required. When I presented evidence of this communication, it was ignored. Feedback & Performance Feedback wasn’t used to help people improve. Leadership gives no direct feedback, and comments and opinions about the work are shared as hearsay from other colleagues. Performance issues were brought up without warning, written notes, or guidance. The first time I got feedback was during my first-month check-in, about the two-week in-office attendance and process mistakes that could have been avoided with proper onboarding. This was then used as a reason to lower my salary, even though there had been no prior review or documented feedback. No HR representative was involved in the discussion. Communication & Processes Communication was complicated and reactive, and felt disrespectful and belittling. Processes seemed to prioritize pleasing leadership rather than getting work done well. When problems were raised with examples, the focus shifted away from fixing the process. Processes were not documented or shared; I was expected to know the rules of the game without guidance. Ownership & Autonomy Taking ownership was talked about a lot, but not supported. People were micromanaged while also being criticized for not taking enough ownership, without being given the context, authority, or tools to make decisions. Work environment For a company working in health and life sciences, there is very little emphasis on psychological safety or creating a healthy work environment. I saw talented, motivated people become anxious and lose motivation over time. Entry-level folks may find it especially challenging without clear guidance and support.