Employee churn is undoubtedly the highest I've seen at any company. It's a ceaseless cycle of firing, hiring and quitting.
The workload is impossible. All shrouded in the façade of "stretching people outside their comfort zone", it's merely an opportunity to squeeze as much labour out of exhausted individuals and underpaying them for the privilege.
Capable professionals are set up to fail from Day 1. Many of my colleagues felt they were lied to at interview and regretted joining the company. Unwitting candidates are sold an "opportunity" and tempted in with promises of limitless self-development in a progressive organisation. In reality, it's a chaotic environment where goalposts change daily in line with the CEO's latest fads.
Perfection is expected on a Poundland budget, and when the reality of the unsustainable workload eventually hits and good people inevitably fail, the official line to remaining employees is that the departed "didn't believe in themselves" or "didn't work hard enough". The attempts at brainwashing and manipulation are astounding.
The CEO's frankly absurd approach to management could almost be ignored if she wasn't grasping every media opportunity to boast about being a great leader. The reality couldn't be more different. She and her second-in-command are an unpleasant duo who treat others with contempt. They won't hesitate to smear any employees past or present, so it creates an oppressive atmosphere that uses fear to keep people in line.
Getting closure from this awful place cost my emotional balance, but that's a small price to pay to leave behind an odious manager, meagre salary and laughable benefits.