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      Gensler

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      Happy, but Conservative Culture - Architectural Designer Gensler Employee Review

      4.0
      23 Nov 2015
      Architectural designer
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      This is the happiest architecture firm at which I've ever worked. The compensation and hours are great, and there is emphasize on community through company-sponsored happy hours and weekly studio meetings. It is possible to have your design ideas heard, even as a young designer. There are many smart, talented, driven architects who put their egos aside and are interested in collaborating to make great projects.

      Cons

      Gensler Houston is NOT a good environment for female architects. There are few female leaders and the women seem to be the first to go in layoffs. Women are often overlooked for design roles and some male principals just simply don't work with women. The percentage of women in architecture positions (not interiors, marketing, or business) at Gensler Houston is significantly lower than even the industry standard. I spoke with many women who felt either pigeon-holed into technical positions or were afraid of losing their jobs. This is a client-oriented firm, and many projects suffer from a lack of an overarching vision or lose many initial design ideas in a process of value-engineering. Lack of middle-management leaves talented young staff without sufficient guidance.

      avatar
      Gensler Response
      10y
      Thanks for providing feedback on your experience at Gensler. We find it incredibly valuable! It was great to hear that you enjoyed our culture and our emphasis on community. It was also nice to hear that you think Gensler is the "happiest architecture firm!" We're open to feedback of all kinds, and we take your comments to heart, especially those related to the advancement of women architects in the Houston office. We recognize that female professionals still face obstacles in the workplace, and Gensler has been especially proactive in promoting women to senior-level leadership roles. Our firm is led by Diane Hoskins (our Co-CEO), 40% of our Board of Director is female, and 37% of our office leaders are women. Gensler was even recognized by ULI for its success in promoting women to leadership roles. We're hopeful that our commitment to professional development programs will lead to even more leadership opportunities for those that represent all dimensions of diversity, including women in architecture. Again, thank you for your feedback. Rest assured, we will share your comments with our leadership team.

      Explore other reviews about Gensler

      5.0
      20 Apr 2026
      Architect
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      Good firm to work at

      Cons

      Nothing bad about the firm

      avatar
      Gensler Response
      1mo
      Thanks for providing feedback on your experience at Gensler. We value our interns and love to hear their perspectives. We are thrilled and delighted to see your 5-star rating!
      1.0
      29 May 2026
      Job captain
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      Nice office, lots of “rah rah Gensler” events with food & booze, some nice people

      Cons

      Where do I start…..some studios are TOXIC. Favoritism permeates every aspect of working here. It’s nauseating. There is zero loyalty, zero recognition for hard work (yeah you get a bonus but sometimes a kind word is needed). Oh-and never ever express an opinion that may be in opposition to “leadership’s”. Your private life, beliefs, politics and other personal things are fair game for letting you go. I’ve seen it happen-fired because someone expresses in a private conversation that one has ethical concerns regarding projects that are in the office (but in another studio/office) will get you fired. They will make up some bs about “work performance”, yet no conversation ever with anyone about “needing improvement “. Out of left field. Bye bye. Management tells leadership that they’d already “warned” the person-completely untrue. Hear later it was likely due to having concerns about a client/project. Lesson learned-shut up, work 12 hrs a day and be happy with the scraps you’re thrown. Also-egos galore! Unwillingness to take accountability for mistakes.

      5
      avatar
      Gensler Response
      1w
      Thanks for the feedback. We treat workplace concerns seriously and address them in accordance with our internal policies and procedures. We have multiple channels for reporting issues and we train and encourage our team members to use them. Encouraging everyone to ask questions and provide honest feedback is critical to supporting our culture and our values of integrity, trust and mutual respect. We appreciate your feedback and will share your comments with the firm’s leadership.
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