The company preys on your passion for books and the industry and exploits it to make you feel like you need to stay and that you have no other options. Most entry level employees are on three-month contracts that renew perpetually for years, but offer no benefits, vacation, or sick days.
Career development opportunities are nonexistent. Raises small, few and far between. Promotions often long overdue. Many junior and mid-level employees have resigned in the last year because they can't keep waiting around for a minuscule pay bump and a pat on the back when they could take an entry level job in another industry and make 2x as much money.
Expect to work evenings, weekends, early mornings and late nights, get emails expecting replies in the middle of the night. No overtime, no lieu time, no reimbursement for mobile costs or home internet even if you're working on your own time and device.
HR is a laughingstock. Lip service is paid in big townhall meetings to diversity and employee mental health/work life balance but nothing is ever done. It doesn't appear that managers whose employees report mental health concerns or take stress leave are ever evaluated on whether or not they are fit to lead a team. Clique-y upper management closes ranks and fearful middle managers aren't empowered to stand up for their employees.
