Run for the hills!!! - Anonymous employee Esquel Apparel Employee Review

1.0
1 Oct 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The NYC satellite office is very small, about 15 people. As a result you'll learn a lot about fabric, the production process, and work with many different customers.

Cons

I can't speak for the Hong Kong or other satellite offices, but the NY office is a toxic wasteland. The majority of the senior staff are ineffective at best. Junior employees are expected to do all the work, but are undermined and micromanaged at every turn. Because the office is so small and the budget is so tight, there is no place to advance. To make a bad situation worse, it's an open office layout, and management encourages a Big Brother culture of surveillance and secret meetings. Managers constantly go through other people's drawers and personal effects. There is a huge lack of trust, and a lot of personal politicking. Running out for coffee is frowned upon, as is saying good morning or fraternizing with other coworkers. Any hint of smiling or laughter is immediately squashed by whatever means necessary. As if the people and politics weren't bad enough...the company expects you to use your own phone for work purposes without reimbursement. Senior managers expect junior employees to use their own money to purchase garment samples and other items because the company is too cheap to get a corporate card. They also won't provide pens or other basic office supplies due to "budget constraints". The office technology is outdated, there is not enough support per team due to budget cuts, and there is no technical training. The company tries to advertise the NY office as merchandising only, but it actually serves a sales and marketing function. The senior managers get an annual sales bonus, but it "doesn't trickle down" to junior employees because they're "just merchandisers", despite being in a customer facing role and conducting sales pitches. The company doesn't offer vision insurance, yet the CEO touts her charity work providing children in rural China free eye exams.

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Esquel Apparel Response
9y
Thank you for taking the time to share your opinion about Esquel. We value and consider all feedback seriously. At Esquel, we are committed to creating a fun, entrepreneurial and collaborative working environment. Our NYC office works closely with brands and retailers in the US for product development, while actual sales are confirmed through our office in Hong Kong. Employees at assistant manager grade or above are rewarded annual bonuses based on objectives agreed the year before. We offer general printing tips to our employees that are in line with our commitment to environmental responsibility. We empower each employee to make their own decisions on what and how to print. All basic office supplies are provided and refills are placed in a common supply area with free access. We never stopped employees from using cell phones in the office, and we also provide tablets for our colleagues to access company apps. All work related expenses are reimbursed through an online software. The vision of the company is making a difference, to our employees, our customers and suppliers, the local communities as well as the environment. People are our most important asset. We challenge and stretch our young talents so they can learn and grow fast. Over 50% of managers in our New York office are promoted from within. Often times, they are the young leaders who started their career with us right after college. We have undertaken a number of educational initiatives to improve the learning conditions of the school children in countries we operate. The vision screening and free lenses for school children in rural communities is among one of them. Once again, we are thankful for the comments. We will take these comments into consideration to improve our communications, training program, and clarity of our policies and practices for our employees. Sincerely, Edgar Tung Group Human Resource Director

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5.0
8 Apr 2019
Anonymous intern
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CEO approval
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Great working environment, great colleagues!

Cons

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2.0
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Pros

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