Supportive culture with strong values, interesting work and clear room to grow - Director Gate One Employee Review

4.0
10 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Gate One is in a strong place right now, with a clear and compelling three year strategy that’s creating real momentum in the market. It’s an exciting time to be part of the firm, with growing opportunity and ambition. Gate One has a genuine focus on looking after people and we take work–life balance seriously and we make the effort to understand personal preferences, development goals and circumstances, particularly when shaping roles and client placements. Gate One invests a lot of time, effort and energy in supporting your development, both from a capability perspective and through exposure to business development and proposition work. There are also plenty of opportunities to get involved beyond your day job, whether through communities, initiatives or wider collaboration. The client work is varied and interesting, with opportunities to work on meaningful transformations with organisations that are making a real difference. There’s also a strong emphasis on community, with regular opportunities to come together, connect and build relationships. Being part of the wider Havas network is a real positive, creating opportunities for cross disciplinary collaboration, exposure to broader marketing activity, and involvement in events that build both capability and profile. It also brings regular chances to come together and connect, while Gate One retains its distinct culture and focus

Cons

As the firm continues to grow and deliver against an ambitious three year strategy, the pace can feel stretching at times, particularly in periods of high client demand. This requires flexibility and resilience, which may not suit everyone. Gate One invests significant time and effort in running a balanced and fair performance management process, with a strong emphasis on transparency and consistency. That said performance management outcomes won’t always align with individual expectations. Even where feedback is thoughtful and well intentioned, it can sometimes be disappointing, and navigating that constructively takes ongoing conversation and trust on both sides. The breadth of opportunity across client delivery, propositions, business development and the wider Havas network can also mean competing priorities, making it important for individuals to be clear about focus and boundaries and we are open to support and advice on priorities. Overall, these challenges are largely a reflection of growth and ambition rather than culture, and leadership is open to feedback and continuous improvement.

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Gate One Response
1w
Thank you for your thoughtful and balanced review. It’s good to hear your perspective on the clarity and momentum behind our 3-year strategy and the opportunities that creates for the business to grow and for our people to grow their careers. We’ve also been intentional about strengthening how we bring our strategy to life through clear OKRs, a refreshed ‘All Hands’ cadence, and increased transparency after key governance forums such as Quarterly Business Reviews. We agree that pace and competing priorities can feel intense at times, particularly when client demand is high or when there’s a sharper focus on business development during tough market conditions (which we’ve experienced from mid-2023 to Dec 2026). This is a theme we’ve heard more consistently over the last six months through our listening channels, including our Q1 Pulse survey and employee engagement network, and it’s an area we’re actively focused on within the EVP evolution ‘change the business’ initiative. We want our people to feel that their workload is manageable even during busier or more challenging times – we will continue to measure this via our survey data and more qualitatively as well via our employee engagement network. You’re also right to call out that performance and progression conversations can be challenging - outcomes won’t always align with individual expectations. That’s why we’ve been strengthening clarity on what “good” looks like at each grade (new addition to the Expectations Framework in 2026) plus additional training and guidance in advance of future promotion panels.

Explore other reviews about Gate One

5.0
7 Aug 2024
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CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Opportunities for creative, meaningful work and to learn from some great people as you grow in your career.

Cons

Not always able to choose projects you are working on.

4.0
16 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good people, with lots of growth potential - especially in the United States. Very manageable work-life balance, and opportunities to shape your own career trajectory. Motivated people can have huge impact.

Cons

Senior leadership are adjusting slowly to the pressures of international expansion. Company is still maturing in terms of internal processes, which lands on mid-level management.

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