Culture degraded rapidly 2017-2019 - Manager Pilot Flying J Employee Review

2.0
20 Jan 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

PFJ had a strong family culture within corporate support center employees. People supported each other and really focused on results with supporting stores, implementing improvements and keeping a marketplace competitive advantage.

Cons

Instead of addressing internal strategy issues or recognize poor performing business projects, the company followed an organizational consulting playbook deliverable. Executive leadership decided to 'trim the fat' -- meaning any employee above a certain age and/or income level. This move was also ironically timed with outside leadership hires from struggling or failing retail organizations.

Explore other reviews about Pilot Flying J

5.0
5 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Amazing co-workers and leadership in the company.

Cons

Nothing really. I have had a great time at Pilot.

2.0
12 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Pay is decent for Knoxville Benefits are good Coworkers are the only thing holding this place together

Cons

The culture has taken a nosedive. The new CFO sets the tone, and that tone is basically “I don’t care.” That attitude trickles down through leadership and it shows in every decision being made. The return‑to‑office mandate is a perfect example. It’s not about productivity — it’s about control. People with long commutes are burning hours of their lives just to sit in the office on Zoom calls they used to take from home. Morale is the lowest it has ever been. Entire teams have been gutted because people are quitting faster than they can be replaced. The workload dumped on whoever stays is unsustainable. Communication from leadership is cold, dismissive, and out of touch. Feedback goes nowhere. Concerns are brushed off. Decisions are made with zero regard for how they impact employees. Constant reorganizations create chaos. Roles change overnight, expectations shift constantly, and employees are expected to absorb more and more with no support. The company used to feel people‑focused. Now it feels like a machine that’s grinding down the very people who keep it running.

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