Cotswold Company Culture FAQ

Pros

Relatively flexible working (not so much pre Covid-19 – a certain few people seemed to get more flexibility). Nice coffee machine and facilities at head office.

Cons

No progression in certain areas, yet it seems the company are keen to hire people above existing staff members and not give the chance to existing employees who put a lot of work and effort in, this means that good staff members have left as there is no progression for them. No increase in salary for long standing staff members, yet new employees and what seems like an 'elite few' are clearly being paid handsomely. 'Us vs. Them' mentality between departments, not helped by unrealistic deadlines and poor management at the senior level, resulting in a lot of finger pointing and poor morale within teams. The 'board level' seems unattached from the real day to day, resulting in unrealistic demands, tight deadlines and unhappy staff. Sometimes feels like a puppet show with the board members pulling the strings. Staff survey and 'Pulse surveys' seem pointless, as when the results are in management have a tiff and wonder why morale is low, then nothing is actioned and it's back to square one. At one point the message fed back was 'if you're not happy here then find a job somewhere else". Obviously there are tough times at the moment with the Covid-19 pandemic, understandably some staff members have been furloughed, yet the work load for existing staff members has got increased and is becoming increasingly demanding. Work is still being delivered but at the detriment of these staff members wellbeing. Seems as though the board are seeing what departments can 'cope' with fewer people and not bother bringing the furloughed staff back. Work/Life balance is poor, escalated by the Covid-19 pandemic and home working – end up working longer hours and not being able to switch off as the working day has no clear end. The wellbeing of staff is said to be important by the HR/'People' department, but it's almost a tick box exercise of sending through low quality pamphlets and info pulled from the web. Not very helpful.

Advice to Management

Culture is more than a ping-pong table and a coffee machine. Focus on the staff, the people who make it possible for your company to be profitable, rather than the short term wins at the detriment to your staff. The people are what makes the business, they are not a commodity.

Pros

You'll get Christmas Day off

Cons

At head office you'll fit in if you fit a certain profile. The entire retail staff are at the whim of a laughing stock who writes 'would of' in emails then demands rather than earns respect. Bullies remain, victims quietly vanish sh. HR are lazy and inept, while the company heads in a worrying new direction, where kind members of staff are being replaced by flinty-eyed cynics without people skills. Most of the retail staff are neglected and unhappy, overworked with little praise or support and much critique. Positive appraisals may be missing from your HR file. Head office staff are cosseted with weekly treats and a pleasant environment compared to the retail staff, who face customers daily, often those unhappy with the Chinese furniture or the delivery/customer services process, over which the stores have no control. Staff are encouraged to write fake reviews for the stores by one department, then disciplined for doing just that by another.

Advice to Management

It isn't always the loudest voice that has the best ideas. Remember you're a human being and look after your staff better. What goes around comes around.