Lowest point in my career..... - BDR WAVTEQ Employee Review

1.0
3 Dec 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The only pro were the free treats provided every Friday, it put a smile on everyone's face once a week which was a rare sight. It was very generous, however, the treats were provided by Regus. So WAVTEQ can't even take credit for the 1 fond memory I have about working here.....

Cons

If you want to work in an environment that makes you feel like you're back in 2nd year at high school, then WAVTEQ is the place for you! You'll be constantly stared at by the office manager and told to "shhh" whenever she thinks people are being too much. They installed a TV which was a cool touch i thought for background music, but it was always turned down so low it became a distraction more than anything! The new desks were way too small and nearly bumping elbows with your colleagues and all teams were mixed in the same room. I don't need to hear everything my colleagues talk about on the phone thanks, especially if they are calling their partners to ask what they want for dinner etc. The only meeting room they had could only fit 2 people comfortably then it became a sweat-fest and everyone can hear what you're saying anyway (especially the strangers in the corridor making a cup of tea a few feet away). My line manager went AWOL after a few weeks, literally disappeared for the rest of my duration at the company, this didn't set a very good example for the new staff. The individual they were forced to promote then got an inflated ego which did not suit their personality and became generally awkward to be around and extremely intolerable, this was when i started to think "how on earth did i get here?" from where I already had a successful career in much more challenging senior roles . I have never felt so talked-down to in and out of the workplace in all my life than when at WAVTEQ. In terms of the tools, the CRM was a joke, which was what we relied on every day. Their processes were the most amature you'll likely see, and the data was shocking unless you sourced it yourself. With unrealistic targets set by senior managers, no help or support provided, terrible processes, no monitors (seriously, just laptops on desks like they opened yesterday), extremely disruptive phone calls with your colleagues within touching distance who are also on the phone talking 10x louder than you, and most people doing a job that normal companies would advertise as 2, maybe 3, full-time jobs individually it was all chaotic and just a very depressing place to be. WAVTEQ immediately set you up for failure which brings morale down especially when your support from management is coming from the most patronising and judgemental people i've had the misfortune to work with. I used to go to bed every night dreading the thought of waking up to go back into that place every day. A few people were genuinely nice, but that's honestly the only good thing I say. If you like to talk about your personal life at the top of your voice in a tiny office while others straighten their hair at their desk with senior staff coming in and out of the office whenever they please while the new staff have to be glued to their chairs before and after their working hours, then this is the place for you! For me it was a very toxic atmosphere. Extremely unprofessional, uncomfortable, claustrophobic, depressing, judgemental soul-sucking and chaotic. After working in successful companies prior in senior roles to then be treated like this at WAVTEQ really was a low point in my career and also personally, I started to question my sanity for why I made that decision in the first place. I hope they have since changed their ways but i highly doubt it ......

WAVTEQ Response
7y
Thank you for the feedback, we are always looking to improve our working environment for employees and am sorry to hear your experience was negative during your time at WAVTEQ. We do believe it’s important to create a positive working environment so that our staff feel motivated and happy to be part of the team, and we try to invest in our staff by setting goals and targets and development opportunities wherever possible. Being a small company, we do currently have to use a Regus office which provides us with workspace for a limited number of people. We felt that Regus was a good fit for our business as it allows us to benefit from meetings rooms, shared facilities and the catering you mentioned, provided every Friday. We appreciate that sometimes this may mean that it feels a little crowded during times when the full team is in the office, but we feel that the space is suitable in order for individuals and teams to carry out their roles. We want to create a balance in our workspace of being able to work collaboratively as a team on projects whilst also fostering a professional atmosphere of being respectful of others when they are in a meeting or on the phone. We will take your comments around noise on board and discuss this with our staff to better understand how they feel about the current situation and how best to work together to achieve this balance. We are a global company and work with stakeholders and clients across many countries, so it is certainly true that senior management will have times where they are not always visible due to client meetings and attending events. This is a core part of their role and what helps our company to achieve its key business objectives. We do ensure that line managers try to meet with their direct reports regularly, and encourage them to support their teams as and when needed. Overall as a business we greatly value our staff and have consulted staff about introducing more flexible working, along with other policies to enhance their working life. We do have a very low turnover of staff and believe that most of our employees enjoy working for us and enjoy the work that they do

Explore other reviews about WAVTEQ

4.0
7 Dec 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great team atmosphere with plenty of support to progress in the field, even with little or no experience.

Cons

Senior management manage remotely and do not see the impact or influence employees have in their respective offices. Also, difficult to get a response for questions employees may have with their duties.

2
3.0
23 May 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

•Design is seen as a strategic part of the business •Cross-functional collaboration across departments

Cons

•Limited design-specific mentorship for junior roles •Occasional communication gaps between departments

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