Pros
Truly wonderful colleagues, from consultants through to senior leadership, I found people to be kind, supportive, and always willing to help. The Leader who ran Australia in particular was an inspiring leader, approachable and genuinely human. They couldn't do enough to actually support you, and would even sit with you in the lunch room just to ask you how you are. The culture within most business units outside HR felt collaborative, people-focused, and respectful.
Cons
The systems and processes are archaic and not fit for purpose. In practice, they slow down work and make CGI uncompetitive compared to peers who are light years ahead. The flat structure stifles career development. The leap from Consultant to Senior Consultant is huge, with little in between. For many, this effectively means no promotion opportunities. HR feels corporate-driven and disconnected from people. In my own case, despite there being clear ongoing work, I was told there was “no appetite” for a full time role – while at the same time, senior executives created roles for their friends’ children. That was disheartening. Promises made during the interview did not materialise. In Talent Acquisition, there is an expectation to contribute in areas like workforce planning and DEI, but the role is mostly used for glorified HR admin. Being told directly told by management that there was no pathway to progress. This crushed motivation and felt completely at odds with how the company sells itself to prospective employees.