Pros
GRAEF has a really good sense of community, which is proven in the average tenure. The people are what really make this company great! They also work on some really exciting projects, and they have a great reputation in Milwaukee (but they’re not as well known in the other offices).
Cons
Your happiness is directly impacted by your manager. There are some great managers who really care about their team, but unfortunately there are other managers that have created a toxic workplace for their teams. Their lack of trust, unrealistic expectations and complete disrespect for people's time and priorities make it impossible for employees to thrive. There is also an overall feeling of an old boys club, and a disconnect between upper management and other staff. Certain people bully their way into getting what they want, leaving the vast majority without a voice. There is also a culture of taking advantage of people by requiring they work overtime without any additional pay or recognition. Also, it’s hard to gain respect if you’re not a principal, or an engineer. There was a big push for diversity, but little has been done to make actual changes. There is also a big push to force everyone back in the office, even though operations have been running very smoothly for most teams for 2 years! It’s unfortunate that the HQ moved into a brand new office right before the pandemic - it’s beautiful and great to work in, but most people still prefer to be home and can work much more efficiently.