Keeping this vague for obvious reasons but here's my story.
After graduating college I had a hard time finding a decent full-time job. Had put in hundreds of applications and few interviews, one was for a job making around $10/hour, still didn't get it. Then I got a job offer for a major company, with branches in seemingly every geographic location, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, all to start out in their “management” program.
The goal was to learn the business, move up fast, and eventually become a branch manager or higher. That was the career track presented, based on how fast someone could “learn the business”. Fast forward to day 1 of new hire orientation…
From the start of new hire orientation we heard one thing being emphasized: SALES. I panicked, this wasn't in the job posting?! There was minimal mention of selling add-ons in the interviews, why so much emphasis now?! They stressed management and customer service skills were what they were looking for and what was required for this position, why so much emphasis on sales?!
My gut told me to get out of there and never come back. I pushed those feelings away though, couldn't disappoint my parents or family by walking out of a full- time job, I had to succeed… I should've listened to my gut.
The company culture was cult-like to the smallest behaviors. After working in branches of the company for years, and having an education dealing with the sociological aspect of cults, all of the signs were there. Just a few:
1) Always smile! Customers won't buy add-ons from employees who aren't smiling. Getting yelled at our cursed at? Better be smiling! Working 50+ hours per week? Better smile! Your family member just passed away or have family issues? Better smile! Not smiling enough?! You may get written up for not smiling/being energetic enough! If you're not enthusiastic about the company, what would customers, coworkers, or potential new employees think?! Plus, no one wants to buy extra add-ons from unhappy people!
2) Family! We're your family! Don't be upset you're working 11+ hours per day, your coworkers are like your family! Enjoy spending time with them and getting to know them! Don't call out or inconvenience your coworkers, they're your family, and you wouldn't treat family like that would you? You wouldn't want your family to have to work harder or be left short-staffed would you?
3) Your performance depends solely on YOU! Your manager gave you more customers to handle than everyone else? You sold add-ons to a smaller percentage of customers because you were given double the work? That all depends on YOU, no one else!
4)Want to go back to school after hours? Why would you want to do that? Do you plan on leaving? Why get a higher degree? Why not put that effort into working harder? Make work, your work family your priority! You don't want your work family to suffer because of your studies or a more restrictive schedule do you?
5) Love Bombing – Look at these new hires, reach out to them, congratulate them on becoming a part of the team, tell them how great it is to work here! Never be upfront about the challenges, negatives, etc. All positives, remember rule one to always smile!!!
6)Exhuastion is Normal – if you're exhausted all the time that's normal! It shows good work ethic. If you're not tired, you're not working hard enough! Look at your co-worker or manager, they worked 55-60 hours last week and they aren't complaining! 50 hours per week is nothing. What are you doing in your time off that's more important than earning money? Why are you so selfish that you need a day off? Why won't you cover for employees who called out?
7) Be comfortable with being uncomfortable – If you're feeling comfortable/ not stretched too thin, you're not doing enough or working hard enough. You're not being as efficient as possible if you're not stressing all the time.
Skip to several years later and I finally got out! I had to go back to school, finish a higher degree, and got a better job. Looking back I could see now how they manipulated me into staying and working under such terrible conditions. It's easy to see how these workplace attributes and ethos are effective in mind- control and cults. They manipulate, shame, and attack one's self worth/ work ethic to drive profits and burn out employees.
I'm just grateful I was able to wake up, get my degree, and get out.
Kudos if anyone can guess the company, I won't say the name for legal reasons. But, if anyone has worked there, my guess is you'll get it right away.
Wishing you all find a way out if you're working there or somewhere similar.