Pros
Office in central location in Malmö.
Cons
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.
