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Goldfish Swim School

Engaged Employer

Change needed - Financial Director Goldfish Swim School Employee Review

1.0
Dec 16, 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Coworkers are nice, family and kids

Cons

Goldfish is an outstanding business organization and their story is heartwarming however it is important and fundamental that the establishments they choose to share and showcase this embodiment is entrusted with the correct owners and management. I believe in the mission that Goldfish embodies but the management they put in place at this location is not a perfect fit. This place is not an open door environment. How do I express my concerns, unhappiness, or issues with management when everything just keeps getting swept under the rug or fear or losing my job or being bullied. The posts of real concerns just keep getting deleted, heads looked the other way and then management trying to gossip to find out who is posting the comments. WHAT DOES IT MATTER? FIX THE ISSUES Don’t bully your employees and making them cry because you want to know who is reporting on the crappy management. A supervisor should not be bringing her kids to team building events- but I guess this happens because in the end, her kids are literally at work all the time that I guess they should be bonding -_- We should not be responsible to watch them while their mom works, especially when they are sick. Or have their personal online orders be shipped to a place of BUSINESS. this is not your personal day care or post office. Get to work on time and open the doors so we are not sitting in the parking lot waiting for you, always! Money goes missing- but let’s blame the cleaning crew or employees AND not look at the supervisor? Dude, get cameras. Our boss is continuously on Facebook, texting and taking personal calls ALL day. Can she not separate her personal life from her business life? LEAVE IT AT THE DOOR. Kids are crying in the water as she watches in and not helping her “team.” A coworker gets her shift covered to see family but gets ridiculed and pretty much threatened/harrassed from management through texts EVEN THOUGH SHE GOT HER SHIFT COVERED AS REQUIRED RATHER THAN CALLING IN. we are all kids- I shouldn’t have to be asked to skip class or miss an exam bc her kids come first and needs help This is not a personal daycare. I shouldn’t have to bond or connect with your kidsor think it’s okay that all 3 of them or 1 of them is onsite ALL THE TIME when you are supposed to be working, coaching and helping US grow. a 10yr old should not be working - labor laws. Do I really need to make a formal complaint with the labor dept for someone to finally step in and get someone who is truly professional to finally take over? Forcing us to pose for FB posts, share post about false information. Or trying to convince parents that management does talk behind their backs or even their staff HELP! Make a change

Explore other reviews about Goldfish Swim School

5.0
Jul 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great work environment and great management.

Cons

Hours can be awkward compared to a standard 9-5 but ultimately are very flexible

1.0
Apr 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Relatively quick hiring process (4 weeks between interview and orientation), Easy to pick up extra shifts, employee handbook policies support LGBTQ+ individuals, easy to go from minimum wage (pre-lifegaurd certification) to $18 per hour (post-lifeguard certification), good for high school students.

Cons

Physically demanding, 5 hour shifts with no break in the water has caused me and my former coworkers to develop long-term health issues. My location in Lakeridge, VA over hired and I, among the other recent hires, had no consistent schedule and weren't assigned our own lessons. The only way we could work is if someone needed covering or to do cleaning shifts. Management and Deck Supervisors were inconsistent in their discipline, and held strong favoritism towards their employees. I tend to have a resting neutral face, and was encouraged by management several times that if I wasn't happy, I could quit, despite enjoying the job, smiling when on the clock, and satisfactory performance reviews. As a LGBTQ+ individual, I faced no problems with working with my fellow employees, or the students and families in the area. However, management were awkward around me in particular, consistently misgendered me in front of my coworkers and insisted that women's lifeguard uniforms were gender neutral. Lifeguard training offered at this location was cut short, and the overall compliance to safety standards were extremely questionable, including ensuring employees had first aid and CPR certifications. Everything had to go through one manager, which made them overworked and made response times long.

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Goldfish Swim School Response
3mo
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We’re glad to hear there were positive aspects of your experience, including the hiring process, scheduling flexibility, and the connections you built with coworkers and families. At the same time, we take your concerns very seriously. Feedback around scheduling consistency, training, communication, and overall support from management is important and something we continuously work to improve. Creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for every team member is a top priority, and we are committed to upholding those standards across all locations. We appreciate you bringing these points forward and will use this feedback as part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen the employee experience. The Goldfish Swim School Franchise Team
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