My experience at this organization had positive elements early on, but over time I noticed several cultural and structural challenges that made it difficult to grow or feel fully supported.
Career development often felt dependent on personal connections rather than performance or qualifications. In several cases, leadership roles were filled by individuals who lacked the experience or skills needed to support and develop their teams effectively. This led to environments where employees felt pressure to conform rather than contribute honestly.
The culture sometimes encouraged employees to share personal struggles in ways that blurred boundaries, and those disclosures occasionally seemed to influence professional opportunities negatively. Employees who left — even on good terms — commonly experienced a noticeable social distance from former coworkers.
There were also inconsistencies in standards around volunteering expectations and workload. Many employees felt as though they were never truly “off the clock,” even if they were technically hourly.
I witnessed troubling patterns in a few departments — such as staff childcare and learning and development — where individuals who made complaints felt singled out afterward. While leadership sometimes acknowledged issues, meaningful follow-through was often lacking. Concerns around harassment, neurodiversity, and mental health were not always handled with the level of care or urgency these matters require. On a few occasions, I, a male, was cat-called by another male in a leadership role within the staff childcare program. It happened at least 3 times. I was called “hot stuff”, and “Hey, Good looking!” as they drove by while I was outdoors walking. It made me very uncomfortable, but with their position of power, I did not feel safe to take the complaint to HR, especially after hearing how other staff members had been retaliated against for submitting their complaints.
Overall, there is a strong mission and many good people working hard, but the internal culture would benefit profoundly from greater accountability, consistent standards, and healthier support systems for staff at all levels.
