Forrester

HQ
Cambridge
Total Offices: 12
1,992 Total Employees
Year Founded: 1983

What's It Like to Work at Forrester?

Updated on September 16, 2026

This page summarizes recurring themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Forrester and has not been reviewed or approved by Forrester.

What's it like to work at Forrester?

Strengths in mission-driven work, high-caliber teamwork, and skill-building are accompanied by instability from recent restructurings, uneven leadership, and compensation concerns. Together, these dynamics suggest a role-dependent experience where impact and learning are attainable, while outcomes hinge on team fit, leadership quality, and tolerance for change.

Key Insight for Candidates

Defining pattern: A compelling research brand and smart, collaborative work offset by a multi‑year restructuring cycle and cost cuts. It energizes high‑caliber, client‑impactful work, yet raises job‑security anxiety and frequent reprioritization as the firm pivots to AI and contract‑value growth.

Evidence in Action

  • Metrics-Driven CV Focus — Contract Value (CV) and RCV growth metrics—CV down 6% year-over-year in 2025 and 3% in Q2 2026—anchor Forrester’s operating priorities. Employees experience a target-centric environment where renewals, retention, and coverage drive recognition, pacing, and perceived stability.
  • Hybrid Anywhere Work Norms — Forrester’s “Anywhere Work” hybrid model and global footprint across 28 countries set expectations for flexibility with in-person energy. Employees navigate manager-by-manager cadence and clarify office days to balance collaboration benefits with remote autonomy.

Positive Themes About Forrester

  • Mission & Purpose: Work is positioned around trailblazing, mission‑critical problems for senior business and technology leaders, with an explicit focus on bold client impact. Many describe the research‑and‑advisory craft as intellectually engaging and meaningful.
  • Team Support: Colleagues are frequently characterized as smart, hardworking, and collaborative, enabling strong cross‑functional partnership. This peer caliber and teamwork are seen as day‑to‑day strengths.
  • Learning & Development: Roles provide exposure to senior executives, thought‑leadership publishing, and opportunities to sharpen writing and presentation skills. Early‑ and mid‑career professionals often find steep learning curves across research, advisory, and quota‑bearing paths.

Considerations About Forrester

  • Job Insecurity: Headcount reductions in January 2025 and February 2026, along with select office closures and contract terminations, have introduced uncertainty about stability. These actions have also affected morale and raised concerns about resourcing.
  • Leadership Gaps: Leadership quality is described as uneven, with bureaucracy and variable team‑level hybrid expectations. Experiences can differ widely by manager, region, and line of business.
  • Low Compensation: Compensation is portrayed as below market in some roles, with commission structures in certain sales positions drawing criticism. Pay competitiveness and trajectory are recurring friction points, especially outside top‑performing commercial tracks.
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These insights are generated using AI and may not reflect internal data or verified company information. They are intended solely for general informational purposes and should not be considered a definitive assessment of the company’s reputation. If you are a representative of this company, and would like this page to be removed, you may contact us via this form.
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