SKY Media - Manchester Office Review- Avoid - Anonymous employee SkyMedia Employee Review

I worked at Sky Media for several years at the Manchester office. At first, it felt like a promising start in the marketing industry – the team was friendly, and the atmosphere seemed encouraging. However, over time, the reality of the working culture began to show. Many of the staff in the Manchester office have been with SKY Media for anywhere between five to fifteen years. Unfortunately, this often fosters a sense of entitlement. New joiners are frequently treated as outsiders, and to be accepted, you're expected to go above and beyond – working through lunch breaks, staying past 5pm to often finish your job, and doing so without any form of additional compensation. Staff shortages were common, caused by people leaving, being promoted, or off sick. During those times, it was extremely stressful, with pressure placed on you to take on the workload of two people. Those who coped in silence were praised, while anyone seeking support was criticised – with comments like, “X managed without help, why can’t you?” Training was extremely poor. Just information passed down verbally. You’re expected to memorise everything with no structured time allocated for development. If you’re unlucky enough to be placed in the AV team, be prepared for excessive micromanagement and poor leadership. Most people in that team actively try to transfer to the AdSmart team simply to escape the toxic environment. The role becomes very repetitive and uninspiring, leading to a noticeable drop in motivation over time. Progression is not based on merit, but on favouritism. It doesn’t matter how hard you work, how long you stay, or how much you contribute – unless you’re seen as compliant and never challenge decisions, you’re unlikely to move up. If you're not in management’s good books, expect to remain in the same role indefinitely. There’s little to no team bonding. As mentioned, many employees have been around for years, and new starters are often left feeling isolated. There’s minimal interaction beyond the daily tasks, and social events are rare – usually only happening when someone with long service is leaving. Unlike other agencies such as Mediacom, DMT or OneDay, where well-being and team culture are embedded in the company values, SKY Media doesn’t prioritise this at all. A large number of employees have left for competitor agencies, largely due to SKY Media’s poor pay structure. I personally moved into the exact same role elsewhere with a big increase in salary.Management rarely supports staff when negotiating pay, and it’s not uncommon to find people in identical roles earning vastly different salaries, simply due to timing or performance reviews/favouritism. The bonus system is also used to retain staff in a questionable way. If you leave before the annual bonus is paid (usually around April), you forfeit the entire amount – there is no pro-rata option. It’s a tactic to keep staff from leaving during key times, rather than genuinely rewarding performance. If you're joining SKY Media in London, your experience may be different. The teams are larger, there's more support, better collaboration, and greater room for growth. Unfortunately, the Manchester office doesn’t offer the same. Senior positions rarely open up, as they’re held by long-standing staff who show no signs of moving on. So if you join the Manchester office, expect to remain at the lower end of both the pay band and the organisational hierarchy. If you’re thinking of joining SKY Media, approach it as a short-term opportunity. I made the mistake of staying too long, hoping for a promotion that was never going to happen. Perks: - Free Sky subscription - Occasional hospitality tickets, usually offered to the same people - Some client lunches, though the same individuals are consistently selected, limiting chances for others to build client relationships and networking.