Reflections 12 months in - Principal Consultant Peoplewise Employee Review

I’ve really enjoyed working at Peoplewise. It’s been a positive and rewarding experience, with plenty of opportunities to learn, grow, and be part of a supportive team. The leadership team is very supportive, especially when it comes to learning and upskilling, and there’s a genuine encouragement to keep building your skills and knowledge. The team is another big highlight. Everyone is helpful and approachable, and there’s strong collaboration across projects. It creates a friendly environment where people are willing to help each other and share ideas. The projects themselves are interesting and varied, and we get to work with some great clients, which keeps the work engaging. It’s also exciting to be part of a company that’s growing. Being involved at this stage means there are opportunities to contribute, take on new challenges, and feel part of the journey as the organisation develops.

Like in most consulting businesses, deadlines can sometimes be tight and project requirements may change at short notice. While this can be challenging, having a supportive and collaborative team makes it much easier to navigate these situations. In many cases, these experiences turn into valuable opportunities to learn, grow, and build skills in adapting to new challenges and finding creative solutions under pressure. Additionally, as the integration process continues following the recent acquisition, some changes are to be expected. That said, this is a natural part of the transition and makes it an exciting time to be part of the business.

Like any company, Peoplewise has both positives and negatives. Leadership may attempt to dismiss critical Glassdoor reviews as inaccurate — they are not. Prospective employees should approach this organisation with caution, as it operates within a deeply toxic working environment. There are some genuine positives: Strong products, though it’s worth noting the flagship assessment has not been re-normed since 2018, despite significant changes in the world of work. A talented, supportive team who care deeply about delivering quality work and supporting clients. Hybrid working, with only one required office day per week. Unfortunately, these positives are consistently overshadowed by the challenges.

Nearly every employee can share one or more “horror stories.” Many of these experiences are already documented in other reviews — and they are not exaggerated. If you are considering a role at Peoplewise, you should fully expect a toxic environment driven primarily by leadership culture and CEO behaviour. Examples include: Extreme micromanagement and minimal autonomy. Basic conversations about workload or delivery projects are often avoided entirely. Instead, calendars are blocked without discussion — zero communication, zero consideration, zero care. Weekly 5pm Friday meetings, framed as “knowledge sharing,” function instead as surveillance to check that you’re working. Employees are treated like schoolchildren. Rigid capacity planning that ignores work–life balance and realistic delivery timelines. Poor planning and last-minute decision-making at leadership level regularly result in employees being thrown under the bus to manage client expectations. Unreasonable approval processes for basic tasks such as travel or annual leave. Holiday requests can take weeks to be approved, requiring CEO sign-off for every employee — an unnecessarily controlling and demoralising practice. An excessive number of lengthy, unproductive meetings, including hours-long Monday sessions focused on reporting to leadership rather than meaningful progress. These meetings add little to no value. An overbearing CEO management style, which at best is intrusive and at worst crosses into bullying behaviour. Leadership and Culture This is perhaps the greatest irony. Peoplewise sells leadership and culture solutions to clients, yet fails to live by those same principles internally. Leadership understands what “good” looks like in theory, but repeatedly behaves in ways that erode trust, engagement, and employee wellbeing. The gap between what is taught and what is practiced is stark. Attrition is extremely high (over 50% in 2025), and this is not coincidental. Speaking with former employees — which I strongly recommend — quickly reveals why turnover remains such a serious issue. The acquisition of TPI was particularly damaging. Of the original 18 employees, only three remained. A previously solid business was dismantled with little regard for its intellectual property, products, clients, or people. Pay and Benefits Expect only the statutory minimum: holidays, pension, and no meaningful additional benefits. Salaries are below market rate, and achieving anything close to fair compensation requires aggressive negotiation. Overall, the organisation does not genuinely value its people. It operates more like a production line than a people-first business, squeezing employees to maximise leadership returns so the CEO can buy her Jimmy Choo's and Maserati. There is no employee equity, so do not expect long-term loyalty to be rewarded or encouraged. Final Advice Do not be swayed by polished messaging, interview promises, or attempts to discredit negative Glassdoor reviews. Trust what you hear from former employees and pay attention to any red flags during the hiring process. You may be able to survive at Peoplewise — but thriving in such a toxic culture is highly unlikely. And no one should have to endure that to earn a living.