We’ve managed to get our hands on the responses to a survey Morgan Stanley took of its real estate department back in 2005. Even while the mortgage boom was ramping up, Morgan Stanley had serious retention and morale issues with this group. Eventually these responses were transformed into a management power point addressing the issue.
The responses range from trivial comments about beverages–there apparently wasn’t any Red Bull in the vending machines–to more serious issues about compensation. “Since we work harder a solution would be to increase our compensation,” one respondent says.
Many of the responses will be familiar to anyone who has worked in an investment bank–complaints about hours worked and feelings of being treated shabbily. “As the bottom rung of the ladder, I realize we have little to no control over our lives or what goes on in this place,” on of the Morgan Stanley employees says. “The trick is not to let us know that.”
Of course, complaints about co-workers also get mentioned. “There are certain associates and VPs which are extremely difficult and painful to work for. This is obviously something that cannot be eliminated, but should be mitigated wherever possible,” one person resigned to working for awful people writes.
After the jump, a link to download the entire set of responses.


Morgan Stanley Real Estate.pdf

Comments (10)

  1. Posted by guest | August 14, 2008 at 4:07 PM

    “After the jump”
    was that supposed to be a joke?

  2. Posted by John Carney | August 14, 2008 at 4:12 PM

    Ha. No. Document didn’t load the first time. Should work now.

  3. Posted by guest | August 14, 2008 at 4:15 PM

    I opened it and had to lean sidways to read it!

  4. Posted by guest | August 14, 2008 at 4:17 PM

    Not exactly squint eyed here.

  5. Posted by John Carney | August 14, 2008 at 4:24 PM

    You can rotate documents in Adobe. I’m not sure why it’s coming out sideways.

  6. Posted by guest | August 14, 2008 at 4:32 PM

    turns laptop 90 degrees..

  7. Posted by guest | August 14, 2008 at 4:42 PM

    right click –> rotate view

  8. Posted by guest | August 14, 2008 at 4:56 PM

    @3
    You sir are an idiot

  9. Posted by Suits | August 14, 2008 at 6:19 PM

    “No red bull in the vending machine? I mean seriously”.
    Promote that guy immediately.

  10. Posted by guest | August 15, 2008 at 12:34 AM

    Garden variety analyst whining.

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