1. Toxic leadership culture. Many senior employees thrive on gossip, favoritism, and tearing others down. Constructive feedback quickly turns into public blame, and strong performers often become targets.
2. No HR accountability. When I raised issues of verbal abuse and retaliation, it was handled internally by the same person I reported for misconduct. HR was never involved, and I was pressured to “work it out” directly with the person who created the problem.
3. Micromanagement and credit theft. Good work is routinely taken or minimized by those higher up. The same people avoid accountability when things go wrong.
4. No clear path for growth. Promotions and raises are inconsistent and often based on favoritism or tenure, not performance. In my time there, I never received a formal review and saw no internal advancement despite strong results.
5. High turnover. Talented people either burn out or leave for healthier environments. The ones who stay are usually the ones benefiting from the internal politics.
