So much potential ruined by awful leadership and management - Anonymous employee City & Guilds Employee Review

1.0
Jun 12, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The people are the organisation's greatest asset: passionate about skills and education, driven by social purpose, and (mostly) commercially aware. Most joined because they wanted to make a difference to people's lives, and the knowledge that you are doing that day to day is the best single reason to work there. Unfortunately these values increasingly clash with those of the senior management. The brand is also generally a positive one, although the sector is increasingly aware of the trouble the organisation is in.

Cons

Dreadful current senior management team. Lack of strategic direction, lack of understanding of the business, increasing disregard for the charitable and social purpose of the organisation, very poor communications, short attention span (big initiatives are touted around for a couple of years, then forgotten), obsession with money without any real commercial nous, disrespect for experienced junior to mid-level staff that borders on contempt, management by cliques and favourites, a hollowing out of any kind of expertise that could position City & Guilds as a serious partner for skills development organisations and funders...I could go on. Morale has been floundering for years and is now frankly dire. The best people have either left or are clinging on in the hope that a change in leadership will happen and the organisation can somehow be turned around.

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5.0
Apr 28, 2023
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good management Great team Good benefits and PTO

Cons

Disconnect between regional companies can make communication and consistency difficult

2.0
Jul 23, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Used to be a strong brand with great products to sell to customers and see them succeed.

Cons

Now it's micromanaged with lots of reporting on why every side of the business is collapsing.

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