Harassment Issues, Binge Drinking, Work/Life Balance Problems
Pros
The pay is good, and the core consulting group is full of excellent people who will become life-long friends. Working here comes along with brand-name recognition, and you will likely have the chance to travel and work with big-name clients.
Cons
Management consulting is not for everyone--if you work here, you might work 50 hours a week, or 90 hours a week on a due diligence. There's no way to know whether you will get lucky, or if staffing will ruin your life. OW brags about a culture where everyone is encouraged to give honest feedback on surveys about how their work-life balance is. In my experience, these never lead to meaningful change. Some consultants are actively encouraged not to fill these forms out honestly, and if you do, there's a witch hunt to figure out who complained. HR and staffing do not protect consultants from retaliation after reporting harassment. I know multiple women who have had this problem, and also a consultant who experienced blatant racism in the office. These are massive issues with the culture here. Binge drinking and partying are rampant. I can't even count how many partners/managers I've seen black-out drunk. Also, consider how many women in leadership positions you meet during your interview process. If you don't see any female partners/managers in the office you are applying for, there's a reason that women are not staying long enough to reach leadership positions there. Questions that I wish I had asked of the consultants at OW before signing: -What is the latest hour you've ever worked? -Who do you go to for support when your project environment is tough? -Have you ever voiced a legitimate concern that was ignored by management? -What is the highest number of hours you have worked in a week? -Does the Inclusion and Diversity team at OW have a leader? Does this team have a meaningful impact on culture? -Has your career adviser supported you during your time here? Do you feel comfortable walking into their office and asking for advice on a sensitive issue you are facing? -Is OW flexible if you have family/health obligations, or unexpected life circumstances? -Have you ever taken PTO and been forced to work anyway? -Have you been forced to work while taking a sick day? -Can you turn your email notifications off during a vacation? -Do you think partners care about/are active in interest groups (ex. Women of Oliver Wyman)? Or are these groups run primarily by the core consulting group? -How is your year-end reviewer assigned? Have you heard of anyone being reviewed by a person they barely know? -Do you feel pressured to take on extra firm responsibilities in addition to your full-time project work?
