Working at FirstCry Middle East was a profound lesson in how a lack of corporate governance can destroy talent. The office operates on a feudal management style where personal vendettas take precedence over business KPIs.
Key Issues:
Leadership Incompetence: Management lacks basic business insights or strategic vision. Bullying and public humiliation are used as substitutes for actual leadership to mask a lack of professional capability.
Hostile Culture: The environment is characterized by verbal abuse and yelling. There is zero receptivity to initiative; new ideas are met with belittlement rather than evaluation.
Ethical Concerns: Senior leadership maintains a culture that feels archaic and sexist. The lack of women in senior management is a direct result of an environment that tolerates inappropriate personal questioning and harassment.
HR as a Shield, Not a Resource: HR functions solely to protect the poor decisions and behavior of senior stakeholders, rather than upholding statutory compliance or employee welfare.
Exit Governance: Be prepared for extreme delays in F&F settlements. It took 75+ days and legal escalation to receive my dues, it wasn't delayed due to process, the HR team was instructed to make it as difficult as possible by leadership.
