This is a profit driven company run by partners who want the company to maintain "the small company" feel and expect you to work as such despite the exploding workload, without acknowledging that it is breaking people. They bid for jobs, undercutting others without considering the amount of time and logistics needed by the more junior staff. This leads to massive levels of stress, an inability to discuss the problems with senior staff; and low morale. The support system is not there.
People move to Winchester for the job and soon find that there is no external social life. Everything becomes about the office and when work is hard, then life is hard. Which is very often and soul destroying. The social side of LCP has died with the fast growth, and everyone is just trying to keep their heads above water that there is no time to look after the people around you. This also applies to the people whose job it is to look after you!
We are trapped by buying a home in an expensive area, and with no real competing companies in the vicinity, it does feel like we are stuck.
The support staff are stretched so thin and the pay disparity is disgusting. They are being forced to work similar hours to investment and actuarial but for a fraction of the pay. Any salary reviews are hard fought and often lost and there is no clear career progression. They are not respected in the company and there is a undercurrent of snobbery and superiority from the fee earners.
The diversity and inclusion network are purely for appearances. Their power is limited to sending out internal memos and organising events that people are too busy to attend. Little if anything actually makes it into policy. Mental health first aiders are dangerously unqualified, and are assigned to people who have no experience or empathy. If they cared about diversity it would be reflected in the people they recruit and their HR policies.
There has been a run of people leaving for a complete change of career or without even having a job to go to, just because of how far they have been pushed. Fellow consultants have moved laterally to get away from the overwhelming stress of the departments.
Anyone who isn't heading purely to partner (soft skills and looking after your teams be damned) is not appreciated or catered for. There is a huge bullying culture but because of the nature of appraisals it is inadvisable to speak. Women who speak out are reduced to "gobby", "outspoken", "emotional" and their points dismissed and them told to reign it in.
If you are someone who wants to dedicate your whole life to the job, are fortunate enough to be in a fee earning position have no mental or family issues and already have a social life or partner/family in the area then LCP is the place for you. If not, don't bother.