High Turnover in Leadership: Over the course of three years, I had three different direct supervisors, two department managers, and the site had four different General Managers. This constant change made it hard to maintain consistency or build long-term growth paths.
Disorganized Priorities & Workflow: The company often struggled with setting clear priorities. Job releases, hot items, and engineering approvals were frequently rushed or delayed until the last minute, creating unnecessary pressure across departments.
Lack of Proper Training: Onboarding was minimal or nonexistent. The standard direction was to “read the work instructions,” with little hands-on guidance. Supervisors often didn’t have enough technical knowledge to help and redirected questions to engineers.
Poor Planning for New Hires: I personally didn’t have my own inspection station for over a year, and new employees were sometimes onboarded without a designated workspace on their first day.
Favoritism & Unequal Opportunity: Advancement didn’t seem to follow experience or merit. Temps or employees with personal connections to supervisors were prioritized for promotions, while qualified long-term employees were overlooked.
Unresolved Conflicts & Lack of Support: Issues were often dismissed or redirected. When I sought help, I was told “I can’t always be there to hold your hand.” That left me on my own to coordinate with engineers and leadership for solutions.
Supervisor Behavior Shifted Over Time: Initial fairness gave way to inconsistent treatment, with noticeable differences in how employees were managed once the supervisor became more familiar with them.
Communication Gaps Impacted Performance: Miscommunication around job urgency, hot parts, and shifting priorities led to wasted time and frustration—especially in inspection, where clarity is critical.
Selective HR Follow-Up: HR only seemed to follow through on concerns raised by employees they were aligned with. For example, my request to transfer supervisors due to a hostile environment was ignored, and I was never interviewed for a lead role I applied for—despite qualifications.
Fear Culture: Many employees were hesitant to speak up. Promotions or changes often only came when someone threatened to quit, and speaking out sometimes felt like it risked retaliation rather than resolution.
