Accenture is a professional services company.
They work with businesses, governments, and other organizations to increase their revenue, optimize operations, and maintain their digital presence.
Accenture careers cross many fields, including consulting, strategy, technology, and operations.
What’s it like to work for Accenture?
Like all companies, there are both positive and negative aspects.
Table of Contents
Pros of Working for Accenture
1. Prestigious in the Tech Sector
Accenture is the 6th most prestigious firm in the technology consulting sector, according to Statistica.
Many experts in the industry actually consider Accenture more prestigious than the “Big 4”, which are the largest 4 firms in the industry.
This means if you plan on changing careers or employers in the future, Accenture looks great on your resume.
2. Lots of On the Job Training
If you want to learn real-world skills, Accenture provides you with plenty of opportunities to do so.
In fact, the company spends over $1 billion dollars on professional development and continuous learning.
Accenture offers neuroscience-based learning programs, and they place a strong emphasis on continuing education for employees.
In fact, you can take free courses before beginning your Accenture career to get a better idea of what to expect.
In addition to programs offered by the company, they also partner with Corsea, Thrive Global, Northwestern, and Oxford.
3. Positive Work Environment
Accenture aims to provide a positive work environment.
Their goal is to make a positive impact on the companies they serve, and their employees.
Accenture states, “Operating with the highest ethical standards and making a positive difference in everything we do is what makes Accenture special”.
Their code of ethics includes integrity and being a force for good.
The company strives to make ethical behavior natural.
4. Highly Innovative
Accenture is well known for being a highly innovative company.
They do this by investing resources into research and development, and adopting emerging technologies.
They collaborate with partners to create innovative solutions, including start-ups and universities.
The company also takes pride in agile methodologies.
This means that new ideas and technologies can be implemented quickly.
5. Very Diverse Workforce
According to Accenture, one of their goals is to build the world’s most diverse company.
They state that diversity is directly tied to innovation.
They explain that diversity of thought and diversity of lived experience is crucial for innovation and new thinking.
They plan to have gender parity by 2025, which means that 30% of their global managing directors will be women.
They are also working hard to achieve ethnic diversity. Currently, 4% of their U.K. and Irish workforce is black.
By 2025, the company will offer people of all genders 32 weeks of paid maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave, with pay, to close the benefits disparity as well.
6. Great Compensation and Benefits
Accenture typically pays more than its competitors.
In some cases, much more.
Managers, for example, make at least $40,000 more at Accenture than the next highest-paying company, PWC.
Accenture states that its competitive pay and benefits package helps the company attract and retain top talent.
How much you can make at Accenture will vary based on your department, experience, and performance.
However, you will likely make more than you would at other similar companies.
7. Named a Top 10 Company to Work for By Fortune
Accenture has been on Fortunue’s Top 10 list for 15 years, climbing to the 6th position in 2022.
There are several reasons for this, in addition to its competitive pay and diverse workforce.
They’ve recently begun a Raise a Concern program, which allows employees to find support for issues and track the investigation process.
9 out of 10 employees view Accenture management as honest and ethical.
They also have mental health resources, and offer an extensive apprenticeship program, which allows individuals without a college degree to get a start in the industry.
Cons of Working for Accenture
1. Lots of Travel
This doesn’t apply to all positions at Accenture, but many do require frequent travel.
This isn’t’ a con for everyone. If you enjoy business travel, this might be a good thing.
However, if the idea of living out of a suitcase isn’t appealing to you, this can be problematic.
Reasons employees travel include meeting with clients on-site, training and networking, and meeting with leaders of the client companies.
2. High Workload and Poor Work-Life Balance
Accenture, like most companies in the industry, is highly competitive.
Employees are expected to complete a high workload.
You may be expected to work weekends, long hours, and some holidays.
Many employees state that it’s difficult to maintain a family or relationships outside of the company, because of the heavy workload.
This creates a poor work-life balance.
You may find that Accenture becomes the center of your life, both professionally and socially.
3. Higher Than Average Turnover Rate
The turnover rate for Accenture is 26%, which is a bit higher than their competitors.
There are a few potential reasons for this.
The company and industry are highly competitive.
Employees who don’t live up to the company’s expectations will be let go.
The stress of the job and the workload are other potential reasons for the turnover rate.
However, there’s also a positive reason for high turnover.
Accenture is often viewed as a career starter.
The company’s apprenticeship program, entry-level positions, and the high amount of training and education make it a great place to begin your career.
You can then move on to a different company, with an excellent resume, skills, and work experience.
4. Little Variety and Opportunities for Creativity
Employees often state that their creativity is stifled or ignored, particularly if they are new to the company.
As you move up into more senior positions, creativity seems to be encouraged.
You may also find yourself doing one type of work or in a certain technology, with little opportunity to change.
This occurs because it’s often better for managers to keep you where you are, if you are doing a good job.
Of course, it may not be the best for you.
5. High Stress and Expectations
Working at Accenture is high-stress, and expectations for employees are very high.
Employees often consider this a con, but it can strengthen you as an employee.
It comes down to your ability to cope with the stress, and perform under pressure.
6. Unable to Select Your Projects
You may be unable to select the projects you want to work on.
Employees are sometimes allowed to cross-train, but this isn’t guaranteed.
Some projects and teams are more desirable than others, and you are unlikely to have control over where you are placed.
7. It’s a Large Global Company
Some consider this a pro, but for others it’s a con.
Accenture has more than 700,000 employees in 120 countries.
While this can offer more opportunities and resources than you’ll find at smaller companies, it can also feel very impersonal.
There’s a high degree of bureaucracy, as with any large corporation, which can make it difficult to express ideas or concerns.
You may also feel more like a number than an individual, because of the sheer number of employees.
8. Weak Job Security
This is arguably one of the biggest cons of working for Accenture.
You don’t have a high degree of job security.
Positions in the field are in high demand, and the industry is constantly changing.
Some employees also state that they were forced to resign, with little to no notice.
Accenture states that 19,000 employees will be let go in the next 18 months.
This isn’t complete doom and gloom, however.
Accenture pledges to $1.2 billion in severance packages, while eliminating 2.5% of their current workforce.
As mentioned previously, Accenture does provide on-the-job training and is a prestigious company, which means you have a good chance of moving on to a comparable, or even better job, if you are axed from Accenture.
It’s also important to note that many companies in the tech and consulting industry are also downsizing.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is set to cut its workforce by 25%.
15 Pros and Cons of Working for Accenture – Summary Table
| Pros of Working for Accenture | Cons of Working for Accenture |
|---|---|
| 1. Prestigious in the Tech Sector | 1. Lots of Travel |
| 2. Lots of On the Job Training | 2. High Workload and Poor Work-Life Balance |
| 3. Positive Work Environment | 3. Higher Than Average Turnover Rate |
| 4. Highly Innovative | 4. Little Variety and Opportunities for Creativity |
| 5. Very Diverse Workforce | 5. High Stress and Expectations |
| 6. Great Compensation and Benefits | 6. Unable to Select Your Projects |
| 7. Named a Top 10 Company to Work for By Fortune | 7. It's a Large Global Company |
| 8. Weak Job Security |
Should You Work for Accenture?
Whether or not you should work for Accenture depends on your goals, experience, and talent.
If you want a company that will allow you to begin your career, Accenture is a good choice.
If the training and education provided by the company appeal to you, Accenture is a good place to work.
However, if you have a family or need a healthy work-life balance, Accenture may not be right for you.
This is also true if you value job security.
If you struggle with a high-pressure work environment, Accenture is not the place for you.
However, if you find that high expectations push you to be your best, Accenture can be very beneficial for your personal and career development.
Lastly, Accenture isn’t the ideal workplace if you want to do the bare minimum or consider yourself mediocre.
To thrive at Accenture, you must be willing to give it your all.
