Brightwater reviews

3.6

68% would recommend to a friend

(99 total reviews)

Barbara McGrath

75% approve of CEO

65% positive business outlook

Brightwater has an employee rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars, based on 99 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Brightwater employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Human resources and staffing industry (3.8 stars).

Reviews by job title

99 reviews
1.0
Mar 25, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Incredibly, there is a recognised brand and a client base.

Cons

I am a former top biller in this company - and normally wouldn't bother with this sort of review. But I feel the fake reviews written on this by its current staff are misleading for people joining BW. I spent several years here; ok commission structure but pay the worst base salaries in town (plus no pension, healthcare - nothing). The CEO is an ego maniac who 'leads' by bullying and tells staff what to do in a condescending, rude manner and constantly makes you feel as if you could be fired any minute. No good people managers in this company. One review on this site below from Feb 2017 which outlines an employee that 'left' in 2013 and eventually came back this year - was in fact, fired by one of the directors she thanks at the end! A farce that they would take her back and an even bigger farce that a bizarre review like that is posted on a forum like this. Negative, back-stabbing, horrible culture. If you like being micro-managed like a child, being told what times to use the toilets, being told when you can look at your mobile phone on your desk, being given out to for not wearing your suit jacket when you get up from your desk, being given out to in a meeting room for taking 4 minutes over your lunch....JOIN BRIGHTWATER!!

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Brightwater Response
9y
Dear Anonymous, Well, I suspect I do know your real name, but apologise if I’m incorrect as your slanderous review has angered me somewhat and my response may not be entirely “measured”. You are aware that every employee has the opportunity to speak at length to the senior management before they leave us, and in conclusion to this meeting it is made utterly clear that we genuinely wish our staff well in their future careers, wherever they choose to go and for whatever reason. We are very sorry and it is very unfortunate that you didn’t have the courage to speak to a director whilst you were working here, and that you felt you had to hide such appalling unhappiness from everybody. Brightwater, as I have stated before, is not for everybody, but then neither does everybody want to be a surgeon or dentist - we all choose our paths to follow. We have the hardest working group of people that I have ever been fortunate enough to meet and my career spans a lot more than three years. These people do not have time or the will to write “fake reviews”. Our payment structures are such that base salary combined with the commissions gained from your own efforts leave most of our consultants earning significant revenues every year. It’s a particularly hurtful trait to use hearsay about an employee who left our employment and has returned. Your information is completely wrong, and in fact borders on slander. I wonder if you would be able to face this particular employee and say exactly what you have said here. Sadly it would seem from the very fact you did not put your name to this review, that you would not have the integrity to do so. If you were so unhappy here, then perhaps the spell of “several years” is indicative more of your attitude towards your colleagues than it is of our own culture. Very many of our staff are here over 12 years and are very happy, incredibly hard-working and decent people. I am always available on mobile which all employees, both past and present have. I would be happy to speak to you and discuss why you felt such an urgent need to take metaphorical pen to paper and disrespect both our company and your colleagues in such a hurtful and untrue fashion. I hope that moving forward in your new career, you would have considerably more loyalty to your current employer than you have shown to us. Barbara McGrath - Deputy MD
2.0
Apr 6, 2017

3/10 Experience

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Commission structure is competitive and they are paid before client pays (strong accounts department) which is not industry standard - IT dept are very helpful and systems are strong. Database is a bit of a mess but no different to most recruitment companies - Nice central city center location with decent amenities close by - Met some decent people there who I would still consider friends, even after I left who still work there

Cons

- Leadership is more dictatorial than anything I have witnessed before. Using terminology like "they just weren't Brightwater" for people who didn't work out. High levels of snobbery and arrogant attitudes prevalent throughout the organisation - Very slow to recognize talent they have at their disposal and very poor retention. There have been individuals who are there who you could consider 'lifers' but that is no reflection on the company culture but more on those and their lack of ambition - Treatment of long standing members of staff who moved on are considered to be failures. Very poor treatment of employees who left of their own accord - Recruitment wise, for a business who is rehiring staff they fired before, goes to show their struggle to attract strong local talent (see review below from staff member who rejoined, after spending 4 years at four different agencies and wound back at BW)

1.0
Jun 17, 2017

I guess I'm not Brightwater material!

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Some nice people but most likely they have all left by now.

Cons

Many horrible people, stuffy old building, freakish levels of micro managment. Crazy rates of staff turnover. Lots of fake smiles from staff for fear of being sacked for not being brightwater material. What is brightwater material? They want submissive 'yes' people. New ideas are frowned upon by managers, they are too insecure. Very old fashioned company, dress code was pulled from an edition of Good housewives guide. Avoid this company.

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Brightwater Response
8y
Having read your interesting review, I feel that a response is merited. On behalf of all the management at Brightwater we are so sorry that you were not happy with us and that you felt you were not "Brightwater material". In answer to your question about this, I can only say that the majority of our employees are positive, hard-working people, dedicated to their work and careers but who are also fun to be with, as we have certainly experienced during the many company parties and events through the years. Many of us are quite feisty, driven and imaginative people, and we refute your suggestion that we require "submissive" staff who lack ideas that we would respond to. We do acknowledge that Brightwater is not for everybody and we are very sorry that you felt you were in a place where you did not feel you that you fit. As we would have made a point of saying when you left, we wish you success and happiness in your future career.
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Glassdoor has 102 Brightwater reviews submitted anonymously by Brightwater employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Brightwater is right for you.