Career Purgatory - Anonymous employee Coldwell Banker Employee Review

Recognition due to the name

Although we are independent contractors,the broker continues to micromanage and it’s unbelievable how much money they take from our commissions.

Coldwell Banker has a recognizable, legacy brand and there are many talented, dedicated employees who genuinely care about their work. Teams are often collaborative, and there are opportunities to work on large-scale, high-visibility initiatives. From the outside, the company presents itself well and has strong brand positioning in the market.

There is a significant disconnect between leadership messaging and the actual employee experience. The handling of recent layoffs was particularly disappointing—high-performing employees were let go with little transparency, and the communication around it felt impersonal and overly scripted. For a company that frequently speaks about valuing people, the actions did not reflect that. Morale has taken a hit as a result, and trust in leadership has been impacted. Workloads can be heavy, and expectations remain high even as teams are reduced, without meaningful acknowledgment or support. There is also a tendency to prioritize optics over substance, especially in communications, which can feel frustrating for those doing the work behind the scenes.