Literally everything. This is a culture that refuses to change. 99% of all the employees start and end their careers at Expeditors which is good and bad. This means there is no outside influence and it’s almost like a bubble. No one has any idea what businesses outside of Expeditors are accomplishing or capable of and refuse to entertain any idea for change or improvement.
The branch culture of this organization breeds competition to the detriment of customers. The only way I can articulate culture at Expeditors is to refer to “The Hunger Games.” You have the Capital (referred to internally as CHQ, or the corporate headquarters downtown Seattle). Each branch is like one of the Capital’s districts - they are their own profit centers and CHQ takes 50% of their profit for “support.” Its hard to identify what “support” they give the branches as technology is so old and out of date you’ll be managing work in Excel. Now, to make this comparison even better, there is a “Branch of the Year” competition. This is where branches compete with one another on pointless metrics in order to win a trophy for “Branch of the Year.” Much of your work will be dictated by these metrics which serve no larger purpose to the customer. It is a vain attempt from CHQ to establish global consistencies which are impossible to accomplish with the current branch set up. Each branch has been independently operated for 40 years so all processes, titles, pay, responsibilities, technology used, etc... determined by the branch and not CHQ.
Managers are incompetent or have zero experience. The essential downfall of this organization will be that all good talent capable of leaving will leave. Whoever is left is who is promoted and you’re left with a significant drain. A constant revolving door except now no one wants to go back in this building. Inevitably it will cease turning at some point.
Expect to be paid less than an Amazon delivery driver. Expect your overtime and contributions to fluctuate at the whim of one individual. Expect to have no perks at all. The building is literally falling apart. During our safety inspection it was found our fire extinguishers were expired. The ceiling poured water recently. The HVAC system has not been cleaned in 40 years (the lifespan of this company). The legal displays in the break room are COMPLETELY OUT OF DATE (illegal) and show Washington State minimum wage to be $10.60 (its currently $12.00) which gives you an idea of how little attention they pay to the environment. You’ll also need to bring your own silverware/plates if you want to eat. There is no public transport nor anything near the office (as in no food joints to walk to).
Employee morale is at an all time low. In the almost 1 year I spent here there has been so much turnover I’ve lost count. It’s really depressing, folks. It’s like a cocktail party here; it’s about who you know/are related to that allows you advancement.
