Pros
Prime location, FCA regulated environment, future acquisition prospects, 1 fruit basket/ month for a whole floor, water coolers, industrial microwaves, expensive vending machines. BNP Paribas take-over which means streamlined budgets, no pay increase, no bonuses. The vision and values looks great on all the walls but no one knows what they stand for or cares for them unless their boss says they have to do it.
Cons
Operational management has no clue of FCA regulation. Anything negative that needs done their answer is to blame the FCA. Non-existent leadership skills. Prime example of why the financial crisis started. All 'yes-men' with no accountability. No risk-awareness culture. Bureaucratic environment. Continuous failure in processes which directly impact customers' finances and how much they are charged. Only drive for many individuals there is to get paid, have tea in the day-time and get drunk in Walkabout. Perks: stock you can't purchase, benefits only allowed to certain individuals. Strong separation between the fat cat directors on floors 5 and 6 and the rest of the plebs on floor 1 and 2. ZERO work life balance if you work in operations and are customer facing. Excellent candidate: anyone unsecure enough and able to accept to say yes to anything, keep their mouth shut when humiliated and bullied (although they call it banter and jokes) and accept minimum pay. In operations booking holidays is prohibited. No career progression for the educated, zero feedback on applications plenty of side-ways progression (cheap pay cheap results) for the un-educated yes-men, hence why CREATION products and services are anything less than competitive.