“Banking is a demanding career path. It's a requirement for the work to be done. What sets Lazard apart is the flexibility it extends to execute the demands that come up. The hybrid work setup is being enacted more effectively at Lazard than at any other competitor. I actually work remote Mondays and Fridays, and take one full month every year to work completely remote. This is not without its own unique set of challenges, but has truly ‘expanded the pie’ that's available to split among career, family, and other personal pursuits.”

“Lazard presumes that you are a capable professional and will get your work done in a timely fashion with high quality. It is NOT a face-time culture or one where you have to be in the office. The hybrid work structure (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday in the office) is very popular, as is the ability to ‘reposition’ yourself to your home around 6 or 7 p.m. and finish any work up at home. There is a focus on keeping people and developing them, so retention is very important, especially for those who appear to have long-term potential.”

“Lazard bankers always strive to be thoughtful partners to our clients, which can mean long hours. That said, the work is extremely interesting, and I feel that we do very little unnecessary work. Lazard bankers aim to make the work that we do impactful and focus on the things that matter most to our clients. We have also invested very significantly in fostering a sustainable work/life balance—where people are encouraged to take time off, senior bankers personally ensure that protected weekends are truly protected, and bankers are encouraged to leave the office by dinner time. Life at Lazard is significantly more flexible than life at other banks—we have a hybrid model that requires us to work from the office only three days a week (client travel permitting) vs. five for many of our competitors.”

“Culture and quality of life varies significantly by group at Lazard. I am in a group that has a relatively informal and collegial culture than others, while working as hard or harder than the average industry group at Lazard. We are highly encouraged to take all of our vacation and are generally not shy about doing so. When on vacation, we are not bothered by work except for extreme situations (I have not been bothered at all by work in any of my last four weeks of vacation). Firmwide, the hybrid work model has significantly improved quality of life and is important for the prevention of burnout and spending time commuting. The long hours, which are prevalent in all groups at Lazard, are the main downside. However, I don't think that the hours at Lazard are much, if at all, above average. My group has made significant effort to fill-out our team fully so that work is more reasonably spread out among more people, though it has historically been a constant battle of losing people to burnout and filling those spaces. I think retention is getting better due to the hybrid work model and the enhanced quality of life it brings.”