employer cover photo
employer logo

Be careful! - Anonymous employee Atkins Employee Review

2.0
Nov 17, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Job and a paycheck but in a house of cards.

Cons

Wow, be careful! Atkins North America was acquired when Atkins in London bought a notorious US engineering based in Florida, PBS&J (Post, Buckley, Shuh and Jernigan). I didn't do enough research when hired and found out too late I was working for a company that has been prosecuted multiple times for serious illegalities, and some of the executives who participated but escaped prosecution are still there! PBS&J has been indicted for bribing government officials, illegal campaign contributions, and was a private company put on the chopping blocks to sell for being so poorly managed when several of the employees embezzled millions upon millions of dollars. As recent as 2016 the company was struggling financially because of legal costs and fines to the extent the focus became finishing out existing contracts rather than procuring new ones...an indicator they do not want new business and are likely to chop off the US engineering wing and spin those employees out to another company. Do your research before accepting a job there, the good old boy network that didn't previously get caught or prosecuted in the illegalities is still working there, and they haven't changed much in being secretive about what they are doing!! Get everything in writing as they are all about the bait and switch.

Explore other reviews about Atkins

5.0
Oct 8, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Passionate about the work with community in mind

Cons

Miss a small company feel

3.0
Jul 12, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Worldwide organization with job opportunities around the globe. Recognized name within the industry. Good company for designers, architects or engineers.

Cons

The bottom line for the company takes precedent over employee development particularly at the mid level grades (11-14). Not very good at implementation of field work. Can design projects but don't have competent construction planners. Annual restructuring of business units as the market shifts. This is especially true for the Middle East (MENA) region. The employee development and review process is a joke. The PDR is completed every Mar-Apr and then it's just a check box on a list. It's not used for promotion or development and if you change jobs or managers mid year forget about the PDR. Nothing from the previous year will be applicable. The PDR is a cut and paste exercise that most employees hate. Salaries are generally lower than the market rate due to structure of the contracts. Atkins tends to bid low to win the work and then find people willing to work for lower salaries while releasing more senior staff that have become too expensive. Promotion from within is limited and takes years. Annual salary increases are 0-2% if your lucky. Once you do achieve an increase you are a liability to the profit driven bottom line. You're better to leave and come back to get a promotion or salary increase. Performance on several contracts has deteriorated because competent staff have left or been made redundant due to the low salary threshold that Atkins has. Replacement or newly hired staff are brought in based on their salary expectations and not competency.

4
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All