Short version: Regional Operations Directors are hired for their pedigrees rather than their experience and skill, leadership in the Atlanta market is nearly 100% black and female (no diversity), goals are 100% corporate driven with no ingenuity and leadership component from Division leadership (lead by regurgitation), corporate culture of FUN is actually a false front....lots of Kool-Aid to drink, most FA's are more knowledgable than their Regional Directors but the RODs are not skilled at listening to good ideas from below.
Personal Examples of Poor Work Environment: Offered a $5000 signing bonus to relocate and work for Davita...2+ years of a asking about the bonus and still have not been paid, Performance reviews were always late and lacked any content...only highlight negative performance and were not backed with facts, performance reviews were a tool used by RODs to justify not giving a bonus or increasing pay rather than fairly recognizing contributions, Annual pay increases for solid performers maxed at 1-1.5% on average.
Long Version: DaVita manages clinical outcomes with the budget as the top priority. Clinic budgets are very tight and unreasonable. Their corporate culture implements a lot of "fun" and enriching activities for patients and teammates (a.k.a. Employees). Facility Administrators are required to do annual programs like the Wall of Fame, a way to display patient photos and celebrate them. Another program might be to provide a Thanksgiving meal to all patients at the clinic. This all costs money and is emphasized as a mandatory task. However, when a clinic's budget is set so low there leaves little room to fund these programs. Many Facility Administrators pay out of pocket just to be a "team player" and not make waves with the Regional Operations Director or Division VP. Many times I did this as well. On two occasions I was questioned about not having enough "fun" events in my clinic by my ROD. I cited my budget as the driving factor but complied. I informed my ROD I would be slightly over budget by implementing the required programs. She acknowledged. Her tune changed the next few months when DINOs (financial reports) came out. I was reprimanded for being over budget. Other budget problems: My building was falling apart, had a rodent problem and was in a high state of disrepair. In my first month as the FA I established a 1 year plan to conduct repairs and not kill my budget. The problem was that even conservative repairs far exceeded my budget. I initiated needed repairs, prioritizing safety and CMS requirements. Again, I was blasted by my ROD for being over budget. I was amazon end that my boss, who touted her MBA, could not understand that improving the condition of the facility would have increased patient referrals and eventually in read revenue. Instead, she managed by the bottom line on a monthly basis rather than balancing short, mid- and long term financial objectives. In the Atlanta market the majority of employees are black females. The Division VP is a white male. There is no diversity. If you are white, be prepared to serve as a minority. Don't get me wrong, there doesn't appear to be any negative racial issues. However, if you are uncomfortable working in a very racially polar environment you may want to investigate further or look elsewhere.
