As many have noted, and as can be seen in the comment on individual performance above, if you want to move forward here, you are going to work your butt. Late nights and weekends, with minimal discomfort, are the norm for those who succeed. The firm has tried to incorporate concepts of “flexibility” into our workforce – but in practice, this is usually ignored by those who actually do the client work (big thinking, poor execution). I know many complain about what they consider the professional equivalent of “sweatshop rates” when it comes to compensation – but I honestly think that`s overkill. Sure, everyone would love to make more money, but you can earn 6 figures as a senior partner and nearly $300,000 as a PLUS manager bonus. So, for me, the question of payment falls on deaf ears. The only area where I think we could really improve is in the range of our 401K matching percentage, which is currently $0.25 per dollar up to 6% of your contribution. Many of our industrial customers are the same dollars for dollars, so quarter after dollar, it`s a small slap in the face. The technology we use as practitioners is mostly terrible, with the exception of some of our new web-based tools for pricing engagements and managing the engagement economy. In recent years, there has been a lot of hint and encouragement that we would replace the hated Lotus Notes (that`s right, guys and girls, we still use the best technology of the 1990s for email and calendar). There was a lot of excitement and enthusiasm in the company – until we were told we wouldn`t go back to normal.

Microsoft Outlook. Instead, we “go Google.” So not only are we replacing one terrible system with another, but we`re not getting rid of Lotus Notes at all because 1) federal practice can`t use Gmail (the feds won`t certify the security of the Gmail cloud) 2) some accounts (like Microsoft) don`t allow the use of Google products (Microsoft was so angry that they lost the Lotus Notes replacement, that we have almost completely lost count), and 3) the rest of the global business will not change. So we`ll have to run two separate email accounts and we`ll be forced to use the horrible Google Docs rather than what everyone in the world uses and loves – Microsoft Office. Why did we choose Google, you might ask. The answer varies depending on who you ask. Some say it because Google`s cloud-based tools will allow us to work in ways we can`t today if we collaborate on document creation and through Google`s hang outs. This is ridiculous because Google`s user experience is terrible (otherwise Microsoft would lose market share to them), and Microsoft already has the standard for collaboration via Link and Jive. Some say this because Google`s cloud-based services offer a lower total cost of ownership – which is also ridiculous because Microsoft has Office 365 available via the cloud with Azure. Some say it because our technology isn`t cool, which affects our ability to attract talent to campus – which is the most ridiculous reason of all, because who really joins a company because they can have a Gmail account? Also, honestly, I don`t know how we`re going to use these fabulous tools offline when we don`t have an internet connection (for example, on a plane that doesn`t have WiFi).

The company is also replacing its current performance management system (and the process for awarding annual performance appraisals and subsequent upgrades and performance awards) with a new system called PwC Professional. Basically, they replace a proven system of documenting written performance feedback (which is not only good for human development, but also serves as a record of what people are not doing well in case an adverse action should be taken against an employee) with a mobile app that captures a five-dimensional assessment and replaces written feedback with oral feedback. which has no memory and no recording. The “coach” who was responsible for representing his “coachees” at the time of the annual review committee now has almost no role in the performance score of his employees, who are replaced by the “relationship partner” who now has the responsibility to know personally each employee he represents in order to be able to represent them to the other partner only in “performance round-table” discussions. Today`s associates have very little time for junior staff, let alone to focus on their individual careers. Well, a cumbersome but overly fair process (you could only talk about things that were documented during the ARC period – if it wasn`t documented, it was when it never happened and you had at least one person who knew you and defended you when your performance was discussed in the form of your coach) and very transparent is replaced by the equivalent of a papal conclave. supported by a popularity contest. In addition, this mobile application (performance snapshots) only needs a comment if an employee does not or only partially meets expectations. So if you meet expectations, you can`t even comment on performance unless you highlight a performance differentiator that less than 50% of employees expect.