More bitter than sweet - Manager See's Candies Employee Review

I was so excited about this job, but it was one of the worst career experiences I ever experienced. This is an old-fashioned company that is truly stuck in the past. Many of the leaders and managers have been there 10-20+ years. The management style is top down and fear-based, with a few bullies who shift blame and terrorize their teams. Goals are vague and no one follows plans or strategy. This leads to a rotating cycle of emergencies where you have to drop everything to put out fires or satisfy the whims of leadership. Staff are criticized and "thrown under the bus" for other's mistakes, so no one shares ideas or takes risks. This leads to a culture of "status quo", resistance to change (including products, packaging, and technology), and lack of innovation. There were a few people I respected who were energetic and wanted to bring the company into the 21st century. Unfortunately they were treated poorly and pushed out, leaving only the "Yes" men remaining. I found no "culture" or camaraderie to speak of- everyone keeps to themselves, and there were a lot of fake pleasantries and passive aggressiveness . This is the first job I had where I felt completely alone and under-appreciated. During the pandemic it became clear that profits were prioritized over people.