It is all politics! - Manager KPMG Employee Review

2.0
Mar 3, 2010
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- good work/life balance (but I came from a banking background where I had to work much harder) - good benefits - interesting work (when you can get it)

Cons

- the politics, nothing gets done without the approval of about 5 different partners, all with different views and big egos - analysis by paralysis culture - completely disregard for its staff, I was surprised about this when I joined as KPMG had Won the Sunday Times best company to work for. It is all about which partner likes you and promotions, internal roles are based on that as opposed to merit - some silly decisions made just to keep face i.e. transfer the global Marketing & Knowledge management teams over to Canada - huge expense and not many people made the move - there are some exceptions of course but overall management does not lead, they manage (badly) and also no one listens and try to work out why morale is so low I left after a year, completely gobsmacked by the 'me first' culture I found in this place.

Explore other reviews about KPMG

5.0
Apr 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

future job moves internal promotions client trust

Cons

Busy season intensity Deadline-driven stress cycles “Always on” expectations during peaks

4.0
Jun 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

It might sound cliche but the Pro for me is the people that I work with. I'm lucky enough to be staffed in a team with great leadership. Managers are actually willing to coach junior members and be a real mentor. I very much appreciate their efforts.

Cons

Long hours and office politics. This is pretty basic and obvious for any public accounting firms. Every time a quarter end, year end, or a special filing is going out, you can expect 10-14 hour days. It might be fine in your early career but it gets really tiring after a few years.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All