Too many chiefs - Project Engineer HDR Employee Review

Fantastic teamwork. The Coastal Group is very close and highly collaborative. There is a lot of support from upper management in the Coastal Group. Lots of projects lined up.

PTO and Sick Leave are tied together.

Decent benefits and that was about it.

This was one of the most challenging management experiences of my career. The manager had spent her entire career at HDR and lacked both external perspective and experience in learning and development, which was critical for our team. There was a clear pattern of favoritism, and feedback tended to focus more on mistakes than recognizing contributions. Work-life balance was minimal, and expectations often extended beyond reasonable limits. I was consistently seeking growth and development opportunities, but these were not supported unless I was willing to fund them myself. Compensation and recognition also felt uneven. Outside of engineering and architecture roles, bonuses were not offered, and raises were infrequent—I received only two raises over four years. Although I’ve since moved on, the experience had a lasting impact on me. I would encourage the organization to invest more in leadership development, employee growth, and a more balanced and supportive workplace culture.