Pros
Competitive pay for the industry.
Great health insurance benefits.
Professional, friendly coworkers who are supportive and enjoyable to work with.
Stable work environment with opportunities to learn different aspects of the business.
Cons
One of the biggest frustrations is the unequal treatment between Support Services and other departments.
For example, while most departments were given a mandatory week-long shutdown around Christmas, Support Services employees were still required to report to work. We worked Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas while the office was effectively closed and nearly everyone else was enjoying the company-mandated holiday break, other than support staff. The explanation was that someone needed to be available in case of an emergency, despite our role being limited to answering and transferring calls to people who wouldn't be back until the start of January. In practice, many of these days consisted of sitting in an otherwise empty office.
This same disparity extends to scheduling. Most employees are offered a 9/80 schedule, allowing them every other Friday off. Support Services employees are not given this option and are expected to remain in the office, even on days when the building is largely empty. Over time, it creates the impression that administrative staff are held to a different standard than the rest of the company.
Employee appreciation is another area that could be improved. Other departments frequently receive celebrations, events, and catered meals with significantly larger budgets, while Support Services receives minimal recognition. In many cases, appreciation has come from individual coworkers spending their own money rather than from company leadership.
Overall, administrative staff often feel like an afterthought despite playing an important role in keeping daily operations running smoothly. Greater effort toward equitable treatment, recognition, and inclusion would significantly improve morale and retention.
