Toxic culture with unstable leadership and nepotism - Anonymous employee Parks Associates Employee Review

I worked at Parks Associates for several years, and in hindsight this was the worst employment experience of my career. In my experience, the problems start at the top. The leadership team - including the president, VP, and SVP - created an environment where decisions most often felt unpredictable, inconsistent at best, and driven by personal vendettas rather than sound business judgment. Priorities changed without warning, employees were frequently left scrambling to adapt to new processes that were never communicated, and the resulting uncertainty became part of the day-to-day culture. People often cried at work, yelling (from leadership to employees below them) was fairly common, and PTO was not allowed during the Q4 holidays. I also observed favoritism and nepotism influencing decisions, while employees who raised concerns or disagreed with leadership were essentially putting a target on their back. This created an atmosphere where many people felt it was safer to stay quiet than to offer honest feedback. Another major concern was the company's non-compete agreement, which is extremely broad and overreaching, as this company's small size and reach doesn't compete with large companies they consider "competitors." The president's aggressive approach toward former employees through legal action, even after the company had chosen to end their employment versus the employee quitting, was also concerning. Anyone considering a position here should read any employment agreements very carefully before signing. Over the years, the quality of the company's work declined significantly. I don't leave negative reviews lightly, but after several years there, I believe prospective employees deserve to know what they may be walking into. My experience was one of instability and a culture that I found deeply unhealthy. Because the company is family-owned and many members of the leadership team have been in place for a long time, I did not see signs that these issues were likely to change or improve. I would not recommend working here.