Incentives have been eliminated, but expectations remain high. There's no longer any financial recognition for high-effort, high-impact roles—especially for those traveling 70–90%. Motivation and morale are steadily eroding.
Compensation is misaligned with contribution. New hires often earn as much as or more than tenured staff, and experience, institutional knowledge, and results aren't meaningfully reflected in pay.
Promotions are driven by relationships, not results. Tenure and internal friendships outweigh demonstrated skill. Leadership roles frequently lack core competencies like emotional intelligence or strategic thinking.
Leadership prioritizes optics over outcomes. Accountability is rare, feedback is routinely deflected, and control is prioritized over clarity, which creates confusion and burnout.
Process changes are frequent, chaotic, and ineffective. Changes are rarely piloted, measured, or informed by frontline experience and often worsen efficiency rather than improve it.
The feedback culture is broken. Input only matters if it comes from the “right” people. Constructive dissent is penalized, and psychological safety is low.
Collaboration is performative. Silos dominate. Departments lack visibility into one another's work, leading to duplication, misalignment, and missed opportunities.
Turnover is high—and telling. Longtime culture-carriers are leaving. This isn’t anecdotal—it’s systemic.
