Kaplan reviews

Staff turnover is extremely high, which is a clear reflection of the unhealthy working environment. The management team within College Services demonstrates poor leadership skills and a lack of professionalism. There appears to be a strong culture of favouritism, where certain employees are given preferential treatment, while others are unfairly targeted, criticised, or even bullied. Managers often engage in gossip about staff members and contribute to a toxic atmosphere rather than promoting teamwork and respect. Their behaviour is inconsistent and unpredictable — they can be moody and unapproachable, especially when employees simply ask questions or seek clarification. This creates an environment where staff feel anxious, undervalued, and unsupported. In addition to poor management behaviour, there is a complete lack of flexibility when it comes to working arrangements, and little to no understanding of employees’ individual circumstances or work–life balance. The workload is excessive, expectations are unrealistic, and yet the salary remains very poor in comparison to the amount of effort required. Overall, the culture within College Services needs serious improvement. Better leadership training, stronger HR oversight, and a focus on fairness, respect, and open communication would go a long way toward creating a healthier and more productive workplace. The college activities are extremely poor and lack genuine engagement or creativity. Despite the significant amount of money collected from students through various fees, the quality and variety of activities provided are very disappointing. Many of the events feel unorganised, repetitive, or uninspiring, offering little value or benefit to students. There is a clear disconnect between the funding received and the experiences delivered. Also, more effort should be made to plan meaningful, inclusive, and engaging activities for staff. With the financial resources available, the college should be able to provide a much higher standard of extracurricular and community-building opportunities.

Unfortunately, almost everything else about the job was very difficult. The management style in Student Services is controlling, with a lot of micromanagement and very little trust in staff. There’s also a clear sense of favoritism, certain managers get special treatment and are the only ones who seem to move forward, even though they’re often part of the reason so many problems exist. Speaking up or trying to move to another role within the company is strongly discouraged, which leaves people feeling stuck and undervalued. The staff turnover is extremely high. Many colleagues left because of burnout, stress, or poor treatment. When someone leaves, their role is rarely replaced, and their work just gets passed on to others without any increase in pay or recognition. This constant overwork takes a serious toll on everyone’s wellbeing. Sick leave is limited, and wellbeing support is almost non-existent. Instead of checking how people are coping, management often just expects everyone to carry on regardless. To make things even harder, many of the managers themselves are clearly burnt out and under pressure, which makes it difficult to work with them. They seem overwhelmed, and that frustration often spills down onto the team. It creates a tense and exhausting environment where no one feels supported, not even the managers. On top of that, pay is low for the amount of stress involved, and the college keeps cutting budgets, which only makes things worse. There’s no real hybrid working either, managers are allowed flexibility, but regular staff aren’t. It feels unfair and demotivating.