Received nasty late night messages from PLs. Was told 'That's the Industry.' - Designer HLW Employee Review

1.0
Jun 29, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The general staff are lovely

Cons

Seems nice at first glance but management is terrible & work hours are long, with no support, no adequate resourcing or reasonable deadlines. There is defiantly a clique & favoritism problem, where egos & toxic personalities seem to be rewarded & rest of the staff who do most of the grunt work seem to get no recognition or credit, even used as a scape goat for when things go wrong. Received work messages & phone calls from project leaders, well into the late evening with undertones of calling me 'inadequate' for things that weren't my fault. You might not always be involved in important meetings or given clear information or instructions & if you ask for clarification, you will be told you are 'incompetent' for not understanding. Serious issues were raised with management only to be told 'That's the Industry' & for nothing to be resolved. Managers will back up PLs bad behavior & throw you under the bus, even in front of clients in meetings. This is not just my experience but most of the staff. Those who survive this culture talk constantly about quitting because they are so unhappy. Many have left because of weak management. Be warned.

Explore other reviews about HLW

5.0
May 19, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The people are very nice, a collaborative culture rather than competitive, management cares about employees, a wonderful mix of clients that come back to HLW time and time again (which says a lot about the company), respected name in the industry, all offices have nice physical working spaces, specific focus on diversity and inclusion initiatives, solid benefits, and offers good work/life balance.

Cons

None that I can think of.

4.0
Jun 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

A lot of space for opportunity! If you work hard, you can create opportunity for yourself and experience a lot of career growth. You are not kept in a box. If you are a young designer, the community here is so great and fun socially, and you will grow much more than you might elsewhere! Seniors/principles are generally inspiring, positive people to look up to. I look forward to seeing each person daily, it makes me want to come into the office everyday.

Cons

The team in Santa Monica is understaffed in a few areas, leaving many employees with more responsibility than realistic. It is hit or miss on if you end up being an employee that carries a heavier load than others with your same title.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All