WGI

1.0

23 Sept 2025

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

The only redeeming quality of this job is the insurance and 401k package—which, let’s be honest, is the corporate equivalent of a participation trophy. Years ago, bonuses sweetened the deal, but they’ve long since vanished. Post-pandemic, when inflation soared to around 10%, management awarded everyone a 10% pay bump and declared themselves generous heroes of the working class. The fine print? No bonuses that year. They hinted bonuses would eventually return, but three years later, it’s still “eventually.” A clever trick if you’re the one balancing the books—a short-term sacrifice that morphed into a permanent cost-saving measure. For employees, it was less of a raise and more of a rabbit pulled from an empty hat. Many saw through the illusion and left.

Cons

The consulting world is stressful by nature—deadlines pile up, and 50+ hour weeks are almost a given. But this company takes it to performance-art levels of absurdity. Picture working 10 to 12 hours a day, unpaid of course, then being scolded for “going over budget” because the project was underbid to begin with. The directors spin this as your fault, as though their poor math is your crime. Every engineer knows that when salaried employees work extra hours, that’s free labor. To suggest otherwise insults both our intelligence and our caffeine addiction. If management is so desperate to protect their KPIs, they should reassign those phantom “extra” hours to another task instead of pretending employees are running some kind of underground embezzlement scheme with their time sheets. And then there’s the revolving door. Turnover here is astonishingly high—though management will smile and insist otherwise. Do yourself a favor: pull up LinkedIn and check how long engineers typically last. Spoiler alert—it’s not long. Most smart people escape once they realize the psychological cost. The ones who stay? Upper management, of course, safe in their fortresses, endlessly recruiting new cannon fodder to feed the cycle. Joining this place is like jumping into an ice bath: the initial shock makes you gasp, but instead of feeling invigorated, you just keep wondering how quickly hypothermia will set in.

WGI Response

6mo

Thank you for sharing your perspective. While we regret to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations, we appreciate the opportunity to provide additional context for future candidates. Compensation & Bonuses During the COVID period, WGI implemented an average 12% salary increase across the company. This adjustment incorporated what had historically been bonus dollars into base pay, ensuring employees received those dollars regardless of project performance, profitability, or individual utilization. Because average annual increases in our industry are approximately 4%, this approach resulted in a meaningful, compounding increase for employees. Bonuses have continued to be awarded for exceptional performance and contributions. Workload & Hours Engineering and private consulting can be demanding, and we recognize that. That said, our internal data shows that Austin’s average recorded workweek is approximately 42 hours, and the office maintains one of the more flexible schedules in the firm, including half-day Fridays. We continuously work with teams and project leaders to monitor workload, utilization, and staffing to support a sustainable work environment. Turnover Voluntary turnover at WGI has averaged around 15% in recent years, compared to roughly 12% in the broader A/E industry. While slightly higher during the post-pandemic talent market, 2025 turnover has declined meaningfully. We have made substantial investments in career paths, leadership development, and compensation benchmarking to further strengthen retention. We genuinely appreciate the contributions you made during your time at WGI and wish you continued success in the next chapter of your career. Private consulting is challenging, and we remain committed to creating an environment where high-performing professionals can grow, be supported, and build long-term careers.

Unrealistic deadlines, constant stress, and toxic directors define the culture here - Engineer WGI Employee Review

Explore other reviews about WGI

Want the inside scoop on your own company?

Bowls

Followed companies

Job searches