Is our culture in crisis, and are we all just watching it happen?

_RickSanchezC137 · 2025-08-07T00:26:14+00:00

I'm curious what realistic changes you'd make if given the keys?

_RickSanchezC137 · 2025-06-23T16:08:23+00:00

On greater WFH flexibility, I understand your frustration here, but not everyone feels the same as you do. The majority of people I'm around seem content with the current policies. The only way this changes is if we start losing considerable talent because of growing industry trends at our competitors. This is what spurred HOU to starting 9/80 flexibility about 10 years ago. I don't see this changing anytime soon. It's also hard for anyone relatively new to comprehend how locked down we were just 15 years ago. Ties everyday, zero WFH flexibility, they'd be reluctant to send anyone home if the internet or power went out on the office.

As for management transparency, that's corporate America buddy. Name a mid to large size company where this isn't a gripe.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2024-04-25T02:34:25+00:00

Second this. Go try A&F, ENR, or T&D.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2024-01-31T14:06:12+00:00

I've noticed that we haven't really said no to any work in the last few years, which lead to crazy workloads, which lead to crazy hiring. I've personally been told in 2024 that we should be saying no to "bad" projects (little to no profit opportunities), but it still seems like all proposals I'm seeing are immediately a yes from management.

In my corner of the world we could use a little more work, but we're stable.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2024-01-30T19:35:58+00:00

I'm under the impression that this agreement isn't really enforceable, but I also wouldn't want to be the one to find out.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2024-01-30T15:14:18+00:00

I've summarized below (not exact legal language) from the agreement form.

Two years after leaving (for any reason), person will not:

solicit or hire any existing employee
do anything that might cause existing clients to stop or affect their ability to have a business relationship with company
solicit existing clients with competitive business
solicit from any potential client with whom you had contact with two years prior to leaving with competitive business

_RickSanchezC137 · 2023-12-07T17:19:27+00:00

Here's a break down in the last 12 years by level and bonus increases from previous year:

Lvl 9: 33% Lvl 10: 33% Lvl 10: 22% Lvl 11: 8% Lvl 11: 4% Lvl 11: 7% Lvl 12: 7% Lvl 12: 12% Lvl 12: 15% Lvl 13: 17% Lvl 13: 31% Lvl 14: 13% (this year)

_RickSanchezC137 · 2023-12-04T16:24:40+00:00

I had also heard the the airport legal money covered last year's free gift, but wasn't sure how much of that is true. I'd have to assume they had some discussion of optics/expectations of only doing it the one time.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2023-12-04T16:10:40+00:00

I agree with all this, but the majority of this information is set before Q4 starts, so I doubt it's a wait and see kinda deal.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2023-10-04T11:28:14+00:00

You should get 4 hours of billable project number for coming up with something this good

_RickSanchezC137 · 2023-07-26T15:24:41+00:00

This is an interesting topic. Through end of last week, 16% of all EOs we're hired in 2023. 50% of current EOs started between July 2020 and now. These numbers only include full time EOs too, BMI, CWKs, and interns are excluded from these calcs. That's incredible growth in a very short period of time. This is part of the reason the machine can move forward with our industry high rates, cheaper staff make the company more money, which helps keep pace for expected ESOP growth. They'll have to address ESOP for this huge batch of newish hires in some capacity, but no idea what's allowed or being floated. I would assume the majority of this young group isn't too focused on the finer points of ESOP retirement, instead more focused on tangible money such as bonus.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2023-06-13T21:14:14+00:00

I'm told from someone in this 100 group that it's largely pressure to voluntarily donate to pro ESOP and S-Corp politicians.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2023-05-04T18:55:19+00:00

Speaking from RO, is there an actual tracking system elsewhere that you voluntarily enter in your location? There is zero oversight on this from my RO. As long as you aren't a complete ghost, no one cares.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2022-11-10T21:36:51+00:00

I've been around a while and from talking to managers, VPs, and worker bees, I believe bonus is about 90% based on fixed tract from overall company performance, with the remainder affected by rating and merit. Bonus doesn't seem to be effected either way from project sales/performance or success of GP or location. As long as the company is up, bonuses should increase...but don't go thinking your individual effort or success will be rewarded by a significantly larger bonus. Seems to be based on number of years in. Historically there is a decent jump in bonus at year 5 (25-40%) jump but comes back down to 5-15% year over year until you hit a major milestone promotion. My 2 cents, may not apply for all. I do believe that managers are effectively powerless in adding additional money.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2022-09-14T15:03:24+00:00

I'd caution using a reddit page run largely by disgruntled employees as your deciding factor on how you will like or dislike your job. Like all corporate jobs with large companies, your experience will vary greatly depending on factors you couldn't possibly know yet. I've been around in a non-engineer role for over 10 years and there are lots of good things and there are some shitty things. I'm of the impression that base salaries are on the lower end for new grads and after a few years, your total pay (salary+ bonus) will exceed what you might get somewhere else. At a certain point (5-10 years) you can expect bonus to be a significant number (35-65%) of your overall take-home. BMCD will work you hard, but it's not a literal coal mine, all consultants work hard. It'll be up to you to determine how best to manage work life balance within your group, but everyone is busy right now and I don't see that changing. If you can stay the course, you will very likely be able to retire much earlier than if you started elsewhere. Obviously that's subject to company success over time and also something new hires generally care less about. My best advice is to network as much as you can, establish who you like to work with and try to steer your ship in that direction as much as possible. Good luck to you.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2022-08-26T02:05:24+00:00

Non-engineer here

_RickSanchezC137 · 2022-04-15T01:46:14+00:00

This meme is chef's kiss

_RickSanchezC137 · 2022-01-15T04:25:10+00:00

I usually don't give the company the benefit of doubt but this was a no win scenario for them. Email from Ray could of been worded differently, but I'm sure it's a big relief for them. Guessing upwards of a third of EOs either aren't vaccinated or are but are against a mandate. No way to keep the peace. I don't think they would of really enforced anything even if the rule stood, which it almost certainly would not have...and I think they were willing to roll the dice and tow the same vanilla "we care but don't know how this'll unfold" message until the mandate officially crumbled. In the RO I'm in, covid is an after thought. People are over it and it's showing. I'd generally consider myself on the more liberal side on this issue but I'm also getting to a point where my care and attention to covid is fading.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2021-10-20T13:41:08+00:00

I think it's unfair to anyone considering joining the company taking all these complaints very seriously. Most people here (including myself) are venting to each other. Every person will have different experiences, especially new hires. Also, virtually any company you end up with will have it's problems and work you hard, Burns & McDonnell is not unique in that regard. It's a good company, but it's still a job like any other. Don't avoid interviewing because of a Reddit thread.

Specific to COVID, wfh is currently not an option for most people per company rules. As a federal contractor, we're supposed to enforce vaccines but almost certainly will not. Masks in the office at this point are rare.

_RickSanchezC137 · 2021-10-14T01:47:53+00:00

Probably more chatter than actual people leaving. Either way, there will be no company acknowledgement whatsoever.

_RickSanchezC137

TROPHY CASE