It has been said by many senior level officials that iHerbs greatest asset is its people. Clearly by firing 25% of the workforce in a single day and people eagerly and happily leaving for other work opportunities, that is simply not the case.
When the company decides to fire 25% of the workforce in one day, we (the employees) begin to ask "How valued are we at iHerb?", we think "decidedly not". And now when we ask ourselves "How much do I now value the work and the company that I am contributing to?", apparently not that much. Behind the facade of "Unlimited FTO", and an "amazing gym and unlimited snacks", we just don't see the same reasons that first drew us to iHerb. Friends and colleagues are seeking out other opportunities for work and calls from recruiters, and are leaving because we just don't feel valued at iHerb anymore. And when people decide to leave the company doesn't fight for them to stay.
I have asked many who have decided to leave their reasons for doing so, and the answers indicative of some very core concerns.
Unequal pay for similar contribution of work.
Undervalued ideas and improvements to business efficiencies.
Feelings of stagnation and monotony.
Feelings of unfit executive, officer and director skill and motivation.
Firings and other major workplace decisions without a clear explanation of why.
Lack of public accountability and proper addressing for the requests and concerns of the employees (especially during all hands meetings).
Senior Directors publicly admitting to not having a 5 year direction for iHerb.
Favoritism among the growing inner circle to those of either friend or family relations of the CEO.
And an impersonal CEO who has only visited our main development office only once or twice in over two and a half years. (And I have not personally seen what he looks like nor can even find a single photo of him anywhere online.)
There are a lot of bright people at iHerb, and are very capable tools to build the business that I hope iHerb can be. But the tools are only as good as craftsman enables them to be and only as good as the craftsman maintains them to be (keeping them sharp and ready for the next thing).
To defend against stagnation and monotony as well as to grow the value of each employee, it would be beneficial to devote real time and resources for each individual to personal grow in their skill, and professional education.
To fight against favoritism, increase transparency / communication, and increase the accountability of the directors and officers, iHerb should employee better operational oversight, and provide open meetings of discussion for business decisions and have retaliation free company forums to encourage constructive criticism.
iHerb needs to show to its employees that it seeks to truly value its employees, otherwise people will continue to leave.
People will come for the gym or the snacks, but leave because of the leadership.
