Despite having a brand that attracts wonderful people, the company offers a typical corporate work environment where the loudest and most politically-savvy individuals tend to succeed. The employer branding team does an excellent job of making it seem like a great place to work, but the reality is far less appealing. The HR organisation, known as People, Places, and Culture (PPC), is tone-deaf and lacks the context needed to create a truly positive workplace.
Executive leadership frequently sets unrealistically ambitious goals without the necessary budget. The finance progresses reflect show there's little understanding of change management or innovation in their decision-making. This often leads to chaotic situations where employees are left scrambling at the last minute to put out fires. Concerns raised to executive leadership are quickly dismissed by "the numbers," and the employee satisfaction surveys fail to ask the right questions, making it difficult for real issues to be addressed.
Promotions are nearly nonexistent, and employees often find themselves doing much more work than their positions warrant. Career progression is largely dictated by budget constraints and office politics, though management is rarely transparent about this. Instead, they frame it as a conversation about performance, which is only one of many factors that come into play.
To advance within the company, the only realistic option is to apply for positions internally. However, a new policy introduced last year requires employees to inform their managers before even applying for a different role. This can be especially challenging if you’re trying to escape a toxic leader and need multiple attempts to find a better fit.
