Beautiful environment, but challenging internal culture
Pros
This is a great job if you love baseball and want to be close to the energy of the team—but it is very much a “work for them, not with them” environment. You are constantly reminded that you should feel lucky just to be there because it’s such a “great experience.” You cannot interact with players; that is strictly prohibited. There is a strong hierarchy and a lot of emphasis on rules and image over actual employee experience. The reality is that while you’re working at a historic and exciting venue, the day-to-day experience can still be very demanding. At the end of the day, you will likely work hard under tough/ very poor sometimes unsafe conditions, but at least you’ll be doing it at Wrigley Field.
Cons
This was not a workplace where I felt women were adequately protected or supported. The culture often felt like a boys' club, with inappropriate conversations and behavior from some male employees toward younger female staff becoming normalized rather than addressed. I witnessed situations where young women were subjected to unwanted attention and harassment from significantly older male coworkers during their shifts, sometimes while working in isolated areas for extended periods. In one instance, after a female employee reported being sexually harassed throughout her shift, the primary solution appeared to be scheduling the individuals separately rather than addressing the underlying behavior. This left employees feeling responsible for avoiding future interactions instead of feeling protected by management. The overall culture often felt more like a college social scene than a professional workplace. Favoritism was a frequent concern among staff, and many employees felt that personal relationships influenced opportunities and treatment. Compensation was low for the demands of the job. Employees were regularly encouraged to work harder to increase revenue, yet received few meaningful perks themselves. Staff discounts were limited or nonexistent, employees paid full price for food, and short breaks often meant waiting in long concession lines and rushing back to work. It was also difficult watching elderly employees spend long shifts on their feet in extreme heat with what appeared to be little consideration for their physical well-being. Morale suffered because many concerns raised by employees were treated casually or dismissed. My advice to new employees is to maintain strong professional boundaries, especially in after-work social settings. While many coworkers were kind and professional, I observed situations where younger employees appeared vulnerable to manipulation or inappropriate behavior from older colleagues. A stronger commitment to employee safety, accountability, and professional conduct would greatly improve the workplace.