Unpleasant overly demanding work environment - Administrative Staff GardaWorld Employee Review

1.0
Feb 3, 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Pay is above minimum wage for operations jobs. Full time employees get some group health insurance.

Cons

This is the worst run organization I've been at in over 25 years of professional employment. The company was bought out several years ago and most employees have been treated poorly ever since. This is a VERY short-term focused company. Many executives seem to be not quite qualified in their area of responsibility and seem to have been placed in their position by equally not-quite-qualified senior executives. Most employees are treated with open disrespect. There is a large French Canadian contingent of employees that actually seems to enjoy treating those not French Canadian poorly. Since I've worked with other French Canadians before, I feel confident this isn't just a cultural misunderstanding on my part. Executive management seems oblivious to operations beyond the short term implications of increasing cash flow. Employee staff reductions are frequent, raises or cost of living adjustments do not happen, and bills always seem to be paid late. This makes working with vendors difficult. Perhaps all of this is because the parent company based in Montreal was highly leveraged before it went private and exited the Toronto Stock Exchange. The short-term focus makes work more difficult in the long run because you are always fixing a poor decision made earlier that was focused on reducing cost not increasing long-term efficiency. From an employee's perspective, the staff reductions make work unpleasant since the work load remains the same or increases with fewer people to do the work. Executive management explicitly just tells salaried workers to work harder and longer. There is no annual review process or uniform pay review process.

Explore other reviews about GardaWorld

5.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good training. Not too demanding in the learning curve.

Cons

Not a whole lot of work where I live. Working out of town 1 day a week part-time with a long commute.

3.0
Jun 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The role provides the opportunity to meet a diverse range of people, oversee multiple sites, and stay active throughout the day. The constant movement and variety help keep the work engaging and dynamic.

Cons

Supervisors are often overwhelmed by the number of accounts they are responsible for managing. They are required to conduct site checks within specific timeframes, regardless of the distance between locations, which can be challenging and time-consuming. Additionally, staffing shortages and heavy workloads can force supervisors to cover posts themselves when no one on the roster is available or willing to take an assignment, preventing them from completing other critical responsibilities. The company appears to follow federal law only to the extent necessary to avoid legal repercussions. As a member of the military reserves, I have observed that legally mandated rest periods following military duty are not always adequately considered by management when scheduling employees. This can create unnecessary fatigue and make it more difficult to balance military obligations with civilian work responsibilities.

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