Pros
The people were the highlight of the experience. I worked alongside several salt-of-the-earth individuals who were hardworking, supportive, and genuinely cared about one another. Many team members were collaborative, dependable, and willing to step up to help despite challenging circumstances. The role also provided valuable exposure to the industry, opportunities to develop resilience and adaptability, and experience working in a fast-paced environment that required problem-solving and flexibility.
Cons
In my experience, leadership lacked consistency and a clear long-term strategy. Priorities changed frequently, and decisions often felt reactive, creating uncertainty and inefficiencies across the organization.
Communication from senior management was often unclear, and employee feedback did not seem to be meaningfully addressed. There was little psychological safety, and many employees did not feel comfortable speaking up, raising concerns, or offering differing perspectives without fear of negative repercussions.
Human Resources did not appear to function as an effective advocate for employees. Concerns raised through HR often felt unsupported or unresolved, contributing to the perception that HR primarily reinforced leadership decisions rather than serving as an independent resource for employees.
Meetings could feel dismissive and, at times, lacking in professionalism and respect for employee input. Employee turnover was also very high, and staffing changes often seemed abrupt, creating a sense of instability and making it difficult to build trust and continuity within teams.
Overall, the combination of inconsistent leadership, limited psychological safety, ineffective employee support mechanisms, and high turnover contributed to a stressful work environment and diminished confidence in the company's direction.