I heard a rumour yesterday that EY BAS is not doing well? Partners and senior staff are starting to leave and the business is struggling. Does anyone know if that is true? I was thinking about applying but I think that I might stay put...

Get your replies in quick before the thread is removed!!!

I heard that too!

It's been quite a while since we had a rumour like this. But rest assured, BAS is doing just fine. A few people have left the firm at all levels to pursue other things, but not out of line with the normal churn that you would expect in a consultancy. BAS are still recruiting heavily and have ambitious plans to grow.And the business is hardly struggling. Quite the opposite, lots of people busy and few on the bench.I can only speak for myself, but I still think BAS is a good place to work and I'm enjoying it. No plans to leave anytime soon!

BAS is sinking. There are no two ways around it. The people that had intellect and a chance have long gone; and trust me Harry, others are on thier way.

The old IBM-ers and ACN-ers that EY paid to bring in have failed to bring in the bacon. The net result is that non-partner staff are suffering.I mean, what REAL contracts have BAS won over the past two years?They had a big shin dig in the Brighton Grand in 2005, and haven't been seen of since.The last organisation of note to have a knees up in the Grand was the Tories, and look how well they have done since then !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think that BAS has met the high expectations that the EY partners originally had.I think the idea was to emulate the success of FS, and try to broaden into a wider advisory / consultancy role by hiring a number of high profile partners from ACN, GC, and IBM, but it hasn't yet got much traction.As a recruiter and consulant for a competitor, I'd have to say that we see very few instances of EY being asked to bid on bigger jobs, perhaps they lack the track record on these sort of jobs.Also, we are seeing more and more BAS CVs landing on our desks here. Last year it was ACN, and before that was IBM, now it seems to be BAS that people are exiting in their droves.

BAS is not in any financial trouble and is winning a fair share of work. These are often smaller scale engagements with a smattering of bigger long term ones as they do not operate in the IT implementation space so the 2-3 year programmes like those of ACN et al are not in evidence. There has indeed been some attrition but this was always going to be the case in a growing business which may not grow in a way that all people are happy with. A very real negative is morale though which is not very good at present and is not being effectively managed by leadership who are outward looking to hit their figures. Needs addressing soon and expect the staff survey will be a kick in the a*se!

I would not say BAS is in trouble, more that it is not turning out to be as good as everyone had hoped and certainly not as good as some of the other consultancies people came from.People are definitely getting restless and a lot more may leave unless things change for the better soon.

Would agree with the posts above. Numbers and growth are really quite good, with a several of large projects on the go. People may be utilised, they just aren't particularly happy. I guess all the hype about a consulting uptopia from 18 months ago has been over ruled by the need to hit the figures - all at the expense of the morale. EY's overall cost cutting hasn't helped either and I think staff feel under appreciated.Still, there is a good chance all can be fixed with some proactive leadership.

I joined almost two years, and things are getting worse by the day. All the decent people are leaving now, because we can't win any sizeable jobs, and our "leaders" couldn't manage their way out of a paper bag.

Let's be sensible - any consulting business expects attrition, and EY is no different - people are leaving after 1-2 years at the firm - many of these people were new to consulting, from an industry background, and found that consulting wasn't for them. Maybe sometimes the feeling was mutual?....

I have with EY BAS for 12 months and it all seems good to me (perhaps I am missing something).I have had a number of intresting projects with big blue chips and little time on the bench. We seem to win sale on work with these clients as well. No long boring systems intergations.The business is growing and at this rate will soon be the second largest services line after audit.Leadership of my area seem like good guys. Mix of backgroundsA few people have left in the 12 months but no more that when I worked industary and less other consulting firms I have seen.Gettting a few less air miles now due to a push to use the company Amex but I not lossing sleep about that.Work is work at the end of the day but on balance I am glad I joined.

I am going for an interview with the Finance & Performance Management section. Is it true that its run by an ex-IBM partner ?I have to say that I've heard very mixed reports about F&PM. What big jobs have they won recently? Is it true that if you don't come from IBM, you won't get ahead?

Salary increases across EY, but more particularly in FS, have been negligible this year, and are forecasted to be low again next year.If you want career development, and an employer that pays in the top quartile, look elsewhere

F&PM stopped all recruitment about 2 months ago, and are gently managing people out at all levels. The growth plans just are not there to support the above-market pay rates.(For "gently managing out, read "no redundancy payment")

Guys. BAS is an absolute dump of a place! How is this not clear????? how can you even debate it???

well that's a really useful post by george pascal.i would rather listen to what someone who actually works in BAS thinks about it than some useless comment. its a pity that there is definitely a snobbery approach to these questions. its not a competition about who works for the best firm its just people asking honest questions!

To the "Senior Manager in F&PM" who seems to think that recruitment is frozen and that people are being managed out of the business because there isn't enough work -- where do you get this crap from?BAS (and F&PM in particular) are hiring aggressively. They're advertising the positions on this website:http://www.top-consultant.com/UK/career/appointmentstwo.asp?ID=25748I'm being asked to attend several interviews each week. We have significant headcount growth targets. So unless that's all changed overnight and I haven't received the memo, we are still a rapidly-growing practice.Varley sent out a note the other day about how we, as a practice, are running at close to capacity. Not only is there plenty of work to keep our people busy, there is plenty of work to support our growth ambitions over the next 12-18 months.

So why are so many people feeling so demotivated at the moment?

BAS F&PM SUCKS!! Run by an ex-IBM / PWC partner. My mate works there and hes desperate to get out. She said that he's a fascist dictator, doesn't allow any original thought and they've only sold a few good F&PM engagements in the last year.I find it really interesting that BAS feels it necessary to "censure" what their staff say about the place. Scary. Whatever happened to freedom of speech?

I joined F&PM this year and I absolutely hate it! Such a big mistake. I'm actively intereviewing elsewhere.The lead partner (ex-IBM / PWC) has created a really destructive culture, he is such a control freak and if he doesn't like you, your for it.People are leaving all the time but with all the testosterone in the room, nobody seems to care.

To BAS who keep defending this thread, I work there too, and the reason we're hiring so many people is that we've created an extremely aggresive culture and so many disillusioned staff are leaving.So, my advice to you is that you need to wake up, smell the coffee and instead of wasting the firms resources replying to every thread, do something about it! Like getting rid of the incapable ACN and IBM / PWC partners that can't sell and are so pre-occupied with their own careers.I've worked in consulting for years and I've never seen anything like it, what a mess.

What a huge relief! I work in BAS F&PM, I thought that I was the only one who felt this way about the practice. Its really horrible, a partner walked out, senior staff are really unhappy and the lead partner is a nightmare to work with...He is difficult to engage and all he ever seems to talk about is 'when he was in IBM... etc...' - well you should have stayed there if it was that great. Oh you can't can you - thay don't want you back!In fact, I heard that he did so much damage there that they spent a week celebrating when he left!Let's get a good debate going on this topic and maybe a cultural revolution might happen! One person, no matter how senior he is should be allowed to ruin it for everyone else.

"My mate works there and HES desperate to get out. SHE said that he's a fascist dictator"Hmmmmmm"One person, no matter how senior he is SHOULD be allowed to ruin it for everyone else."Hmmmmmmhttp://corporatewhore.blog.com

Sounds like a fun place to work!

what a lot of rubbishF&PM is a great place to work been with the team a year and enjoyed all of it.F&PM leadership is strong and openDon't regard my move at all. Mostly sold out with great clients. looking to recuit more people.I am only aware of people who have left are due to poor performance People are very +veCan't believe what people have posted can only assume that is due to the fact we reject 98% of people which apply. So must be a lot of bitter people. Can't believe people with no idea about F&PM BAS could post such rubbish.

I work for PwC and it's been striking for a couple of years that EY BAS is paying over the odds for its people. How is this working out in practice? I've heard horror stories but tend to treat them with a pinch of salt.

PSJim=sad hopeless git if only place he can find humour is in people being bombed

I'm a recruiter for a more established consultancy in the finance transformation sphere.We are flooded with BAS F&PM CVs these days, as people try to get out. It sounds as bad as IBM was about 5 years ago.

Two more resignations from our team todayThings really are going from bad to worse for BAS

Who resigned this week?

Oyster Datejust

I don't know him...

Oh, my mistake. He's called Mike Hunt. Want proof? Go to security, ask them to make an announcement over the PA system. Wording?:"Hello you bunch of BASers. You rock. Can I interrupt you while you beaver away, striving to take consulting to the next level? Have any of you seen Mike Hunt? Well have you?"

Oh, I know Mike. He's a very popular guy -- people are always looking for him.

As popular as Amanda Hugankiss?

Or Fu Kim?

or that russian everyone is looking forGeton Yebackubitch

Or Seymour Butts.

Never let it be said that consultants don't have a sense of humour.

Anyone remember the names bart used to ask for when prank calling moe's tavern? the only ones i can remember are:I. P. FreelyJock StrappAmanda Luvandhug

Seymour Butts was one of them.

.... good old Mars... he can never quite keep up!!

Story of my life.