Inhibiting hierarchy and unkind culture - Anonymous employee NBBJ Employee Review

2.0
Feb 7, 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The coffee station is always fully stocked. There are plenty of nice receptions and events with appetizers and beverages. The office headquarters is beautiful. There can be a good work-life balance for most.

Cons

There is an extremely high degree of turnover, which leaves the company in constant disarray and lack of morale. (I saw at least 40/200 people leave the company in my 1.8 years there at the Seattle headquarters). There is a strong negative culture in which co-workers gossip and mistreat one another, as they are made to feel in competition. There is a widespread sense that supervisors are not actually empathetic to the needs or concerns of their employees. Leaders attend expensive week-long internal meetings on yachts and in four-star hotels, while telling employees there is no money for holiday parties or bonuses each year. Leaders are overwhelmingly homogeneous in age, gender and other demographic attributes. Folks with lower titles are discouraged from sharing ideas during meetings, and they are constantly talked-over when they do share them. People who try to improve processes and modes of communication are systematically alienated until they either leave or are let go for not getting with the program.

Explore other reviews about NBBJ

5.0
Jun 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Super flexible and great coworkers

Cons

No real cons. Maybe wished it was more hybrid

1.0
Jun 16, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

healthcare benefit, good office location

Cons

Bonus points if you're white and can fit into the small inner circle (iykyk). If not, you may find yourself constantly reminded that you don’t really belong. There is a very obvious double standard around flexibility and trust. Certain people seem to be allowed to do whatever they want, while others get questioned for the same behavior and suddenly need to have a “conversation with the manager.” Openly talking negatively about coworkers and consultants is also treated as normal. There is a lot of casual criticism, gossip, and dismissive commentary, which makes the environment feel unnecessarily tense and unprofessional. The micromanagement is also exhausting, especially from managers who are too busy to know what you are actually working on. Instead of feeling trusted to do your job, you end up spending a lot of energy managing perception. Also, 4 days in the office is intense; sometimes people just need quiet time to focus. Although if you're one of the favorites, that can be negotiable.

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