Every day's better than the next.... - Senior Manager State Street Employee Review

1.0
25 Jul 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Somewhat of a country club atmosphere (whether I, as a manager of managers, like it or not).....most everyone is able to come and go as they please. They take care of getting my monthly transit pass for me. That's about it.

Cons

Where to begin....culture is terrible. Everyone I know hates their job. There is no incentive to work hard and provide good client service because raise percentages for most employees have not kept up with inflation over the past 2-3 years. For a certain level and above (and we're not talking about senior management, folks) pay has been frozen for the past three years, while profits have increased steadily. Advancement past the 5-6 year tenure mark is nonexistent, currently. All proprietary systems are junk. The core accounting system is over 20 years old and so antiquated it makes me cringe. The client interface is universally hated by every client I've spoken to. Tech support is non-existent; all the talented tech folks who weren't laid off have left for greener pastures. Senior management is absolutely, postively clueless. The hiring standards are through the floor. HR flat out refuses to revisit salary structures even though it's a fact that starting salaries at STT are 10-15% lower than local competitors. Even at middle-management levels, salaries are lagging. I was assured by the SVP of my team that I am well compensated compared to my peers....great, but I'm making 25K less than my counterpart at a comparable firm across town. If getting out of the industry altogether wasn't my ultimate goal I would've jumped ship 2 years ago. Let us not forget about the Channel Center. Everyone in the Back Bay or in Lafayette is moving there the second we are able so that STT can cancel their leases and save some more $$$.....with just one hitch. At last count there are approximately 6K people for approximately 4K seats in the new building. So either they had better get the architect back on the phone quick and draw up another few floors, or there's gonna be a whole 'nother round of layoffs in the next 6-8 months. There are three main sets of stakeholders any business must satsify in order to be successful: customers, shareholders, and employees. By keeping salary levels as low as possible, STT has proven that they care only for the shareholders; they are driving talented people away and killing those who stay with an awful culture. This, in turn translates to poor client service and disgruntled clients.

Explore other reviews about State Street

5.0
11 Feb 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Pay, Benefits, Time off, Flexibility

Cons

I can't think of any

1.0
14 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Remote work is (rarely) an option, though the approval process is extremely slow and bureaucratic. There are a few well-meaning colleagues who genuinely try to drive positive change before burning out.

Cons

Onboarding and HR processes are severely broken, taking 11 months to approve remote status and failing to prepare basic equipment for day one. The workplace culture is deeply hostile, with anger and yelling functioning as the default communication style across teams. Leadership turnover is rampant, resulting in constant re-organizations, splintered teams, and a total lack of strategic direction. Role clarity is non-existent, forcing employees to invent their own daily tasks while receiving entirely contradictory instructions. Direct management is completely absent; I went seven months without any contact from my boss before being laid off via a three-word instant message and short call.

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