Pros
Work/Life balance, Friendships, WiFri. There aren't too many pros nowadays.
Kontras
It's no secret that the current executive team hired all of her friends from UC Press. Sitting back as a staff member who was there during the last regime, knew that this would be a train wreck. They huddle in her office laughing loudly for all to hear. There is absolutely no transparency about how things in the business are going. They hold monthly "ask the execs" meetings, but we typically leave those meetings more confused than when we went in. Amenities are being cut left and right, and the workplace truly is not enjoyable to be at any longer. The upper levels of HR is also not effective at all. They there to please the executives, and not genuinely help the staff, as her job SHOULD be. If you go to ask them a question, they directs you to one of regular HR staff because they truly doesn't know PLOS policy and procedure, nor workplace law, quite frankly. People know not to go to them, because you won't get any help. Reviews like these are becoming more frequent, and like the staff engagement surveys, I'm sure the executive team will find a way to twist this in a way that makes them feel better. The execs cushioned the board to buy them all the time in the world to avoid the harsh accountability. I truly feel that the Board has no idea about what REALLY is going on. Sure, it's easy to sugar coat things but know that PLOS went through 3 rounds of layoffs last year. If you're seriously considering applying here, keep that resume polished.
