Vantaggi
Many amazing people working there - a company of 100+ on first name basis with everyone, lots of onus on social bonding and supporting each other inside and outside of work. Lots of mingling across researchers and operations socially. Tendency to hire similar personality types allows this to be fostered, but on the converse of this introverts struggle because extroverted behaviour is rewarded - who shouts loudest gets furthest. Staff who are 'cut-throat' are often not widely supported by other members of the team and therefore work in isolation as no one is willing to help them out - feeling they are rewarded enough by senior management already so why help them - the little things! Good client exposure from junior level upwards.
Svantaggi
Lack of reward and recognition for those who support others and line manage well. Those in business development are rewarded highly yet manage large teams of people and manage them badly. Saw resignation after resignation in my time because of unfair promotions and poor management from senior staff / line managers / senior management team. Watched small, high funcitoning teams decimated by poor choice of leadership. Final point is on finances - most put up with long hours within agency life as rewards in terms of bonuses and parties offset the late hours. Cuts to spend meant salaries and bonuses for BD team went up but social spend and other bonuses were cut - with no relief from the long hours. Most of the people that were there when I joined had left before I did.