I was employed by Charter College for a year and a half. Although most would consider this a brief amount of time, at Charter, a company with an incredibly high turnover, it is a period akin to being a senior employee. Caution to current and future employees to not get too secure in their roles. Most walk into work worried that it is their last day. It’s difficult being “Susie Sunshine” coming to work each day under these circumstances, but those who do not fall in line with a smile are asked to leave. This is not a career for rebels. Positions are easily added/dissolved without much thought. When my position was dissolved, the CEO invited us into a meeting room and explained that he came to the decision while lounging out on a beach. Literally. He let us know that we were recruited into another role that day or, if we refused to accept, we were to leave. Business is not personal but it does require tact, which the CEO unfortunately lacks. He touts his drug related youthful indiscretions at company meetings, openly discriminates younger employees* and encourages a sycophantic work culture.
The new position was offered with the promise of training, coaching, and higher pay. Despite reservations, a job is better than no job. I held the role for less than a month and was asked to leave during the first week of formal training for “not being a good fit.” With no workflow and limited understanding of how to manage my time, I was already one foot out of the door.
This situation is not new to Charter. Every end of the Quarter brings more layoffs, more hack plans to improve retention. During my employment with Charter, my job description went through 2 revisions and 1 title change. By April, 20+ employees had been laid off. After this particular layoff session, the CEO stated that would be the last major layoff planned for the year of 2016. He should run for president with that kind of candor. Upper management handles bleeding expenditures like amateurs, recklessly throwing new protocols and teams at problems that should be fixed at the system level. Watch out for the end of August!
Consideration for the students is minimal. They are treated like numbers.
*HR- When your CEO openly states that “millennials lack work ethic” and “no skirt can be too short” at company-wide meetings,and there is no reprimanding you do not build the rapport of a safe, reliable place for employees to bring their concerns regarding ageism, racism, sexism and sexual harassment. You do quite the opposite, actually.
