• Lack of technical knowledge by management.
• Lack of knowledge by management of processes in the UK.
• Management overpromised on project deadlines. You will constantly be pressured to speed up processes and deadlines. It is ok to an extent, however it does goes tiring and draining when you are constantly asked to accelerate things than simply can’t be accelerated or are outside of your control.
• There is a lack of management skills and direction which is evident by the lack of 1:1s (only one 1:1 in 4.5 months). You have to navigate the role and its requirements completely by yourself.
• The job description is not reflective of the duties required by you, which are also not communicated well by management. The role described is for a deployment/project manager, however, the role is practically for a regional manager/country director. The entire responsibility will be on you for the country you operate in and there will be no meaningful support. The lack of technical knowledge in the company means you will end up taking on other time consuming responsibilities as well.
• The company is in its early stages and is frequently modifying its business and operational model. Therefore, your experience, knowledge and contacts may be of value to them at one point, however, this is prone to changing quickly if they decide to change their business model (e.g. outsourcing the works through the connections that you brought).
• Regional management can be rude, unapproachable and immature, and have a bullying and a coercive nature. For instance: 1. Pushing you to do things in certain ways that probably work in the Netherlands but do not work in the UK due to different work cultures and attitudes 2. Having emotional outbursts. 3. Frequently turning up late to meetings they set up themselves, without any explanation or pre-warning.
• The company prides itself in being diverse and inclusive. Having said that, the regional manager will openly make shocking hostile remarks towards certain nations which you would not expect in a professional working environment.
• Constant changes in the business means that end up working with people who weren’t there during your interview process. Meaning that they had no choice in employing you, which can create issues further down the line.