Decent place to work - Landscape Architect Gillespies Employee Review

3.0
7 Oct 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Decent projects. Professional approach to clients, quality and projects

Cons

A bit corporate. Average salary. Not hugely design focused

Explore other reviews about Gillespies

1.0
11 Oct 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good Support Staff Hybrid Working

Cons

No structure, organised chaos from top to bottom. Partners are very disconnected from staff and care very little about needs and queries, lack of recognition and support from them. Very misogynistic attitudes amongst the practice. Bullying is also very commonplace from management level. Low paying salaries and very frugal when it comes to payrises and progression within the business. Incompetent PM's with poor time management, who often throw other staff members under the bus in order to save themselves. High staff turnover and low morale amongst staff. Poor Work/Life Balance. Besides annual leave there is next to nothing regarding employee benefits, other Architecture Practices compensate their employees far greater than what Gillespies does currently.

2
2.0
25 Jun 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

1.) Nice team support staff 2.) Nice office 3.) Some interesting projects

Cons

1.) You don't go far if Management don't like you. 2.) No pay rise or cost of living increase despite busting your gut for the company all year. 3.) No appreciation or recognition from any of the management team. 4.) Salaries at the discretion of management so people with the same job titles are being paid differently (and especially women being paid less than men in the same roles). 5.) Women take on average 6 additional months to gain a promotion than their male counterparts. 6.) Some management team members are bullies and use their status to demean anyone ranking below them in annual reviews and promotion discussions, bribing them to do more hours/work in the office. 7.) You get stuck with the same job title for years with no progression or and support and are expected to take on more responsibility. 8.) Only JUST paying the industry standard salary, no more. 9.) Lunch times are an excuse to keep you working - doing 1hr/1.5hr long CPDs and masking it with sandwiches/completion certificates. 10.) Constant stream of decent, kind and supportive staff leaving for other companies due to lack of pay, recognition and support. 11.) Pointless Employee Assistance Programme and benefits system, hard to access half of the services and no one uses them so they're a waste of time. 12.) Annual staff Day Out - always consists of another way of touring their winning projects and being 'educational and informative' (rather than having a day off to celebrate with staff and relax/unwind together properly). Anything to avoid lost working hours. 13.) Projects and time poorly managed by PMs and directors who can't even save a PDF/start a Teams call but claim to be the reason the business is still running.

2
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Gillespies Response
10mo
Whilst the Company does not agree with, or recognise, the comments, we would like to thank you for your feedback. Gillespies LLP is an employer with considerable workplace benefits, and an employer that treats and rewards employees fairly. Gillespies LLP see it as imperative that our employees are recognised and supported, and that all financial decisions carefully consider necessary business factors. Many thanks, Human Resources
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