Pros
The teams are composed of many talented, intelligent, and accountable team members. Many people have come and left, but everyone has moved on always has had a hard time leaving their team. This is a great starting point for a young designer fresh in their career to learn what to do (and in some cases what NOT to do). Even if you have a hard time, you will walk away knowing you have really learned something.
Cons
I've watched the flurry of critiques come through over the last two months and I am so very disappointed at the response from management... Its time to take a look at why SDA cannot retain talented employees and accept that there is a problem - and its NOT because of the demand for high performing stellar achievement that "is not right for everyone". NO ONE in this industry has such a high turnover... NO ONE in this industry has a structure where you have 10 people on a single project, which changes project to project, so you constantly have to learn how to work with a new team member. Separating into Design/Project Management/Production/Architectural Services means that those people are pigeonholed into their one role, and not permitted to branch out. Once you start; you receive a label of what you do and what you can and cannot handle - and it is never reevaluated every again. There are stories of success, coming in as a young designer on tenant development and working their way up to a great position on design team - but this story is not common at all. The design team in particular is a never ending revolving door of disgruntled and battered professional designers that are ridiculed, insulted, and overworked. Sure, there are problems at any firm you go to - the grass isn't ever truly greener on the other side, but leadership is just so out of touch and in their own upper class elitist world they don't understand how people deal with normal day to day life. That attitude and denial for the state of the firm and lack of transparency for regime change trickles down the pipe line and creates an unstable work environment. HR department turned over 3 times by the time I left - and with just cause. People were constantly running into their office after being badgered by leadership. Its demoralizing to watch your team members that you work with leave and go to better opportunties that offer more flexibility and growth. Hours are NOT flexible - the receptionist logs you in and out, even if you run downstairs to your car you must tell someone that you will not be on the floor for that three minutes. Last I heard, work has slowed considerably - business development is aged and out of touch with the brokers and not bringing in new projects fast enough. This also brings uncertainty and instability to the staff who have survived layoffs in 2008 and know that it can happen to them. This is not a good environment for anyone with more than 5 years experience unless you are running your own projects and are aboove the 20 year experience mark. Everywhere inbetween is a purgatory of micromanagement - NOT quality check (other firms are able to create a quality product with out micromanagorial tactics)
