Smythe LLP reviews about "people"

• Communication is poor between and within departments - like an endless dance where no one is ever on the same page. • Expectations are often unspecified and substantive feedback lacking – which is interesting given the coaching model and purported adoption of SMART goals. Feedback, when provided, generally relates to what you’re doing wrong and is used to justify extending probationary periods or otherwise penalizing you. • Along with your garden-variety office gossip and internalized misogyny, there is an overall culture of condescension, in which incompetence is presumed and even peers treat you like a subordinate. It’s very strange. Many are not accepting of those who don’t conform to a specific personality type – if you’re not a prototypical bubbly extrovert, you're going to have a hard time. • As others have noted, the benefits are lacking, which seems more reflective of the company’s priorities than their monetary situation (some deep pockets here), as they’d rather drop thousands on rebranding and orchestrating work events under the guise of morale boosting. • Unsurprising, but HR deals in platitudes and buzz words – lots of prattle about how they live out the company values. Diversity seems performative, like another quota to fill and brag about during orientation. • There's a push for new hires to work 100% on site, as dictated by those working from the comfort of their home - rules for thee, not for me. • There is an undercurrent of nepotism and favouritism - so if you happen to have a relative or friend employed with Smythe, there's your in.

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Not good if you are not an accountant. Experience in other functional areas e.g. marketing, IT, HR, isn't valued. Expect what fits accountants to apply to all groups.

nothing I can think of

- The firm provides 0 resources for the PEP program. It's honestly embarrassing considering during recruit they spew all about their internal support for students. The reality is they don't pay for Densmore or even provide staff with a paid day off during exam days (literally every other firm does). The training they give you is a recycled PowerPoint they have been using for the last 5 years, presented by whatever senior in the firm is trying to gun for manager. - The firm has some of the worst office gossip I have ever seen. If you are a junior and screw up on a file you will be trashed talked by seniors, managers and partners. These early screw-ups, which should be completely expected from new staff, will stick to your reputation and be used against you. - The firm is so mismanaged it's not even funny. I left right before busy season. The reason why I left was that the firm was offering me the same salary as my other coworkers even though I had 10 more months of public practice experience than them. I asked for a measly 2.5k raise to stay (to be paid the same as seniors 1s were making LAST YEAR), they quoted "the firm didn't hit their review targets", yet a month previous the firm has a meeting showcasing they hit record revenues. This resulted in me leaving, only to find out that the partners ended up giving all staff bonuses during busy season due to everyone being overworked. I wish I could say I was the only staff that this happened to but another person in my cohort left due to the same reason, they were the top performer in our cohort and asked to be paid the same as top-performing senior 1s were making last year. The firm refused to give them a measly 1.5k raise and let them walk as well. Letting staff walk isn't necessarily a bad thing but when the firm is so understaffed it degrades moral seeing the firm be so cheap, especially when we know the partners are making all-time high revenues. - Partners are clueless about the state of culture at the firm. I was recently shared a video from Smythe in which the lead partner had a Q &A with the staff. A staff member stated that they were concerned about the high turn over and mentioned that moral among employees is at an all time low. The partner responded with "we don't believe that there is a moral issue". That response sums up the partnership group so well - Sweep it under a rug and let the firm rot from the inside. - HR's response to the degrading state of the firm is to post fake 5 star glassdoor reviews (go and see if you can spot them).

Office politics, people talk behind your back.