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Great Hearts Academies

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HR Department in Disarray - Anonymous employee Great Hearts Academies Employee Review

1.0
Mar 20, 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Benefits Mission Growth potential Mission

Cons

Decline in HR leadership and talent and loss of top HR leaders over the past year have compelled me to provide an honest review of my experiences here, particularly regarding the state of the Human Resources department. Unfortunately, what was once a pillar of support and guidance within the company has now become a source of frustration and disappointment. Over the past year, the Human Resources team has experienced a troubling decline in both talent and leadership. The departure of our best HR leaders has left a noticeable void, and their absence has been keenly felt throughout the organization. The lack of continuity and expertise in HR matters has led to significant challenges in management support. Adding to the turmoil is the appointment of new leadership, including the Chief People Officer, who, regrettably, lacks the necessary HR knowledge and leadership experience to effectively lead the department. This deficiency has resulted in a lack of direction, inconsistent policies, and a general sense of uncertainty among employees. Furthermore, the composition of the current HR team is cause for concern. While individual introversion is not inherently problematic, the collective dynamic of the team has fostered a culture reminiscent of "mean girls" behavior. Instead of collaborating and supporting one another, there is a palpable sense of cliquishness and exclusion, which has only served to exacerbate existing tensions within the department. It is disheartening to witness the unraveling of what was once a respected and effective HR department. Without swift and decisive action to address these issues, I fear that Great Hearts will continue to struggle in attracting and retaining top talent, ultimately hindering our ability to achieve our organizational goals.

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Great Hearts Academies Response
2y
Thank you for your feedback. We believe in having a team who work together as a family. We strive to set a standard of excellence for our employees. Thank you for providing us with feedback on leadership training. We will share with our leadership and continue to work on ways to build relationships with our HR dept. and leadership team.

Explore other reviews about Great Hearts Academies

5.0
Jun 29, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Intentional and caring work with children.

Cons

Demanding work, but ultimately fulfilling.

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Great Hearts Academies Response
1w
Thank you for your feedback. We know our students, parents and community make our academies incredibly unique and special. We know there is always room for improvement. We are open to constructive critiques and recommendations. We value the unique and individual contributions of our teachers and staff. It is imperative to meet our standards while considering new teaching techniques. We know that this important work is at times challenging. Still, we believe the mission is worthy of our continued commitment, and Great Hearts strives to support teachers and staff through effective leadership, professional growth, and fidelity to the mission.
3.0
Apr 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

1) Hard to get fired 2) Lowest monthly premiums for benefits I’ve experienced 3) There are busy and slow seasons. Some times you have far too much work to complete in 40 hours and other times you may only have 20 hours of work

Cons

1) Low pay 2) Leadership could be better mainly HR/People Ops, individuals seemingly put into higher up positions based on tenure at the company rather than job experience. 3) Little to no room for growth in HR/People Ops. 4) No annual review process formal or informal and no raises based on individual merit 5) a standard company wide increase each year is in place but it’s typically 2% so not even an amount that keeps up with the cost of living 6) it can feel cliquey

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Great Hearts Academies Response
3mo
Thank you for your feedback. We will share with our leadership your comments. We strive to set a standard of excellence for our students with a focus on a rich liberal arts curriculum and emphasis on moral formation. Great Hearts does provide excellent benefits (medical, dental, etc.), with employee premiums that are significantly below the national and regional averages. We have been engaged in ongoing work on this issue for several years despite no significant funding increases from the states in which we operate, and simultaneously we must balance the need to maintain smaller class sizes, robust network resources, and safe and welcoming campuses. Great Hearts does provide excellent benefits (medical, dental, etc.), with employee premiums that are significantly below the national and regional averages. We have increased our salary ranges in certain regions over the past year. We will continue to work to improve in these areas.
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