Leave as soon as you can - Anonymous employee Handel Architects Employee Review

1.0
Oct 27, 2023
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You will get a paycheck.

Cons

Middle management and HR is a joke. A "People and Culture" position was created recently as a stopgap to no avail. They just laid off half of the office in San Francisco, 99% of which consisted of the minority/POC employees - if you weren't Caucasian, blond haired, or blue-eyed you were out. It's a service firm that pretends to be boutique. No such thing as loyalty in this place. Get out as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

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Handel Architects Response
2y
Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your experience with Handel Architects. We were deeply pained to lay off any of our team members, and we are very sorry to read your perception of events. We are always trying to improve on our employee experience and communication and would welcome a discussion with you on this matter. Please email people@handelarchitects.com to schedule a time to discuss.

Explore other reviews about Handel Architects

5.0
Jun 2, 2026
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Pros

Positive energy and good culture

Cons

Open studio is hard for different calls at the same time

3.0
Jan 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Great office culture overall, friendly coworkers and a supportive day-to-day vibe in many teams. - Strong collaboration across disciplines, and you can learn a lot by being exposed to a wide range of projects. - Leadership can be generous when the business is doing well (bonuses/recognition can happen depending on performance and year). - Social events (happy hours, team get-togethers) help create a sense of community.

Cons

- In the Design Technology/BIM function, the management approach can sometimes create a difficult environment—high stress, frequent check-ins, and communication that may feel more critical than constructive. - Limited autonomy in how work is executed, which can slow progress and reduce ownership. - The combination of stress and limited autonomy contributed to turnover and made the team feel hard to sustain long-term. - Growth path and expectations (titles, leveling, promotion criteria) can be unclear within the Design Technology/BIM track. - Don’t expect a significant raise every year—annual increases can be modest (for example, around ~$1,500), though this can vary by year and business conditions.

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Handel Architects Response
3mo
Thank you for taking the time to share such thoughtful feedback which has been shared with our most senior leadership. We’re glad to hear that the collaborative culture and sense of community had a positive impact on your experience. We also appreciate your perspective on the Design Technology/BIM function. Creating an environment that supports clear communication, sustainable workloads, and meaningful growth is important to us, and insights like yours help guide our ongoing efforts. The firm leadership is deeply committed to continuous employee development and using leading edge design technology to support excellence in design on our projects. We will continue to invest in leadership development and setting clearer expectations within specialized practice areas. Thank you again for sharing your experience. We’re committed to learning from feedback like this and to continuing to strengthen the employee experience.
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