Toxic leadership - avoid at all cost!! - Anonymous employee Polhus Employee Review

Office in central location in Malmö.

Working at Polhus was a horrible experience. I have never worked in a worse company or work environment. I suffered from both mental and physical symptoms of stress because of my time working at this company. They may appear as a rather friendly and laidback company but it is actually a highly toxic work environment. - Micromanagement: One of the main drawbacks at Polhus is the pervasive culture of micromanagement. Team members often find themselves under constant scrutiny, with little room for autonomy. This not only hinders creativity but also leads to a stifling work environment where employees feel more like they're being controlled than trusted. - Infantilization of employees: Employees are often treated in a manner that borders on infantilization. The lack of empowerment and the constant need for approval can make one feel like they're back in grade school rather than contributing to a professional workplace. This approach does little to inspire confidence or promote a healthy working atmosphere. - Toxic positivity: Leadership expects employees to be yes-men. Any opposition regarding even the most mundane decisions or processes are seen as betrayal and insubordination. Even asking questions often results in being accused of being negative. Open dialogue is therefore impossible, which in turn leads to employee disengagement. Without the freedom to question existing practices or explore alternative viewpoints and as opportunities for improvement are overlooked, the company becomes stagnant and resistant to change and employees become targets. - Differences in treatment between employees: There is a noticeable disparity in the way employees are treated. Favoritism is prevalent, and it negatively impacts team dynamics and overall morale. Some employees will be told off, like children, for the same things that other employees do or say in complete impunity. Fairness should be a fundamental principle in any workplace, and its absence here contributes to an unhealthy and demotivating work environment. - Harassment: It's unfortunate to report that harassment has been an issue at Polhus and it has come directly from the CEO himself. Leadership likes to find scapegoats and is relentless. The CEO will attack employees' performance, attitude, behavior and if that's not enough will also attack their character and integrity. Blame meetings and gaslighting are prominent tools used against employees. There is no HR department and the harassment is not overt and is never done in writing either so it's not possible to contact the unions either. This creates a very uncomfortable atmosphere for affected employees who come to work with a knot in their stomach waiting for the next incident. Managers either turn a blind eye or are powerless in protecting their employees. The company also suffers from a lack of diversity and from tolerated sexism. There is a high turnover for such a small company and many others have also left because they suffered due to the same work environment and harassment from the CEO.

Sadly no pros about Polhus

Reflecting on my time at Polhus, I am compelled to share an all-encompassing review to provide potential employees with a deeper understanding of the challenges I faced during my tenure. My experience at Polhus was characterized by an unfortunate combination of harassment, discrimination, gender bias, micromanagement, dubious blame meetings, a stifling lack of transparency, and a general lack of confidence from the leadership. It was disconcerting to witness preferential treatment towards male colleagues, creating a palpable sense of inequality and injustice. The favoritism was not based on merit or performance but seemed rooted in a deeply ingrained bias within the leadership. Micromanagement was a persistent issue at Polhus, where employees often found themselves subjected to excessive scrutiny and control. This stifling environment left little room for autonomy and creativity, hindering productivity and job satisfaction. The leadership's propensity for micromanagement extended to an unhealthy level of control over day-to-day tasks, creating an atmosphere of perpetual tension. Blame meetings, with misleading or fake agendas, were unfortunately a regular occurrence at Polhus. Instead of fostering a constructive environment for addressing challenges and finding solutions, these meetings seemed designed to shift blame onto employees rather than addressing systemic issues. This not only eroded morale but also hindered open communication, as employees became reluctant to voice concerns or propose improvements for fear of reprisal. Expressing a professional point of view at Polhus proved to be a Herculean task. The company lacked a conducive environment for constructive dialogue, making it nearly impossible for employees to contribute valuable insights. Leadership seemed disinterested in hearing perspectives from team members, creating a culture where innovative ideas were stifled, and the potential for improvement remained untapped. Despite delivering positive results, there was an inexplicable lack of confidence from the leadership. Recognition and acknowledgment were sorely lacking, leaving employees feeling undervalued and demotivated. The workplace culture at Polhus resembled more of a rigid school environment than a professional workspace, fostering an unhealthy sense of competition rather than collaboration. The absence of established processes and after-sales service further compounded the challenges. Without a structured framework, tasks became chaotic, and addressing customer concerns or post-sales issues was often an uphill battle. This lack of organization hindered the overall efficiency of the company and reflected poorly on its commitment to customer satisfaction. In conclusion, my time at Polhus was marked by a combination of issues that collectively created a toxic work environment. I share this review with the hope that prospective employees can make informed decisions about joining the company. While I acknowledge that every workplace has its challenges, the extent and variety of issues at Polhus make it difficult for me to recommend it as a positive or conducive work environment. I genuinely hope that this feedback contributes to positive changes within the company's culture and operations.