I genuinely enjoyed this role when I started. The clients, the work itself, and the original team made it a place I was excited to come to every day. Unfortunately, that changed significantly under new management.
The biggest issue wasn't the workload. It was the complete lack of care for the people doing the work.
After a new director joined, the culture shifted dramatically. Employees stopped feeling like people and started feeling like numbers. Concerns were routinely dismissed, communication became inconsistent, and there was very little empathy, support, or genuine investment from leadership.
As a Catering Sales Manager, you're expected to build strong relationships both internally and externally. That's difficult when leadership doesn't demonstrate those same values with its own employees. The culture became increasingly transactional, morale declined, and it was clear that business metrics were prioritized over the people responsible for achieving them.
What's disappointing is that the team itself is incredibly talented. There are good people throughout the organization who genuinely care about their work and their clients. The opportunity to build something exceptional is there, but culture starts at the top.
Until leadership begins treating employees with respect, listening to feedback, communicating with transparency, and recognizing that its people are its greatest asset, I don't see the culture improving. A people-first brand has to be people-first internally, not just in its marketing.
