Pros
I worked at Reed Exhibitions for over ten years, and one of the main reasons I stayed at Reed for so long was the people. I loved my team and had a great relationship with my direct boss. There will always be people in every line of business that you do not care for, but most of the people I came across were professional and overall good at their jobs. Reed does an excellent job of taking the temperature of its workforce for a company of its size. Regular town hall meetings with all employees are held twice a year with updates on financials and recognition of excellent performers. Watching and receiving awards for the work done was one of my greatest joys. If you're a fan of traveling then going to shows will be a highlight. For me, this was a pro because I do not get to travel much. It forced me to get out of my comfort zone and see different places. Going to a show is hard work, but it's great to meet your coworkers and see them outside of the office. It's a different level of bonding with your peers. Lastly, they took care of me. I'm luckier than most that I was promoted twice during my 10-year run and often received higher than average pay increases after my yearly review. I have to thank my direct boss and the company for recognizing the work I was able to do.
Kontras
I don't believe in trashing a previous employer unless it's warranted and overall Reed was good to me. There are some areas of the company that definitely need work and I'm hoping someone from HR will read this and at least consider it. The hiring process when you're in a hiring position can be a bit daunting. It would be great if Reed could streamline that process and work on some of the hurdles they've put in place. Legally I know there are limitations, but some of the rules they enact allow for us to not hire potentially great people. Reed can be slow to adapt and try new things. Their legal department is filled with a level of paranoia that I cannot even describe. Projects with the capabilities to help their customers and drive growth are left to die due to fear. Senior team leaders and managers need to have more faith in their employees and stop letting the legal office destroy potential great ideas. The corporate office has to much say in the way the company handles their digital offerings. Their solutions are inflexible and promote little creative direction for individual show teams. Too much of my time was spent battling their processes for doing things. Without getting into too much detail, the "new world" they are proposing will be stifling. Clear brand innovation will be a thing of the past. Wake up before it's too late.