Disrespectful, nepotism runs deep, cult-like atmosphere - Anonymous employee FDM Group Employee Review

This is for full-time in-office employees; I was not a consultant/went through the program. First off, I just want to say I’m happy I’m no longer there. I didn’t realize how much stress and anger that job was causing me. My mental health was at its very worst because of that job. Every day felt like I was drowning (not with lots of work). I’ve never been happier since leaving. Starting with mental health. They don’t care. That is not a term that I think they actually know the meaning of. Not only do they not care, sometimes they have actively gone out of their way to make everyone’s lives more miserable. It’s like they thought crushing morale was good for productivity. In terms of management, I have never seen a more mismanaged company in my life. Upper management are the most disrespectful people I’ve ever met. They put on a kind face, but constantly talk down to employees, lie to their faces, and breed a culture of distrust and anxiety. The people in charge are either all family members of the ceo/coo (husband and wife), or best friends of the family. The environment in the offices is incredibly cult-like as a result. Nothing ever progresses or gets done, because people who have absolutely no experience in certain departments insist on running them and refuse to listen to others. My team couldn’t ever get anything done because we had no direction. Every time we tried to settle on something management would change their mind and backtrack to what it was before. The turn around for employees is so high. I’ve never seen so many people leave in full-time positions. From the time I started to the time I left, I literally saw around 90% of the entire office (my entire department included) either quit or be fired before they could. In terms of treatment for employees, first off salaries are a good 30% under average market value for positions, so expect to get exploited. Don’t bother asking for a raise, or you will be fired. Your starting salary is your forever salary there. Time off is basically non-existent for US employees (everyone else gets much more). US employees get an effective 5 days of PTO + sick time for the year. On paper it’s 15, but 10 is forced on certain days when the office is closed (no work from home). I have been in meetings where upper management have explicitly said, in front of everyone, that a certain employee isn’t important and unwanted and not worth what they’re getting paid. Then they would go and say that you’ll never find a better company to work for, and if you leave things will be much worse for you. Oh and about Covid protocols - there were none. Even in the height of the pandemic in March/April 2020, no one wore masks and working from home was only begrudgingly implemented when local law mandated it. Went back to in office as soon as humanly possible. Again masks optional. When you get laid off (never actually due to performance), it’s day of and never any warning, so no time to do handoffs, and there is no severance pay. The day you get fired is the last day of pay. Even the people who quit get fired before their notice is up, out of spite. And I’m talking about literally everyone. That’s how all termination is handled, and it shakes the office scared every time it happens. Management would regularly make impulsive, emotional, and irrational decisions that would destroy team morale, with lines such as “it’s not personal, it’s business” or “it gives me no joy to do this”, but it clearly was always personal and it obviously gave them joy. After letting someone go, they would just disappear. No one would know where they went, and management would get furious if you talked about it, because they don’t want you to be afraid you’re next, which you always were. In my time working there we lost 5 managers in our team of various levels, and instead of ever looking for new people to lead, the COO just took over the positions. Everything just got worse every time someone else left. Eventually one manager was replaced with someone in the family. It’s nepotism but at least it’s someone in the position. And last but not least, their “diversity” bragging. “Diversity” is, like most companies, only as far as a pamphlet picture can go. I’ve heard so much sexist and racist talk in the offices. Mostly from higher ups. There are dress code rules actively against the LGBT community. Men cannot wear feminine clothing and are actively discouraged from having “woman” hair. Women are allowed to have piercings, but men aren’t. I could keep going, but I’ve already written so much and I’m sure you get it by now. Like I said, I’m glad I’m gone.