Wonderful concept, nightmare reality - Guest Experience Manager VAWAA Employee Review

1.0
20 Sept 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Exposure to international arts & culture.

Cons

-24/7/365 availability expectation with a salary that doesn't come close to aligning with the work expected. -toxic micromanagement -ZERO respect or understanding of employees personal time. No work/life balance or even the expectation of balance. Management's expectation is that you eat/sleep/breathe VAWAA with no room for anything outside of work.

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VAWAA Response
1y
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad you valued the exposure to international arts and culture during your time with us—our mission is deeply rooted in creating meaningful connections through creativity. We want to address the concerns you’ve raised and provide context about the nature of the role and our company’s stage of growth. As a startup, we’re operating with limited resources and lean teams, which can naturally create a fast-paced, demanding environment. The time-sensitive nature of responding to our guests was clearly communicated during the interview process. That said, we understand this may not be the right fit for everyone and regret if you felt overwhelmed. Regarding work-life balance, we strive to be clear about expectations while also respecting personal time. Feedback like yours helps us reflect on how we can better support team members, especially as we grow and delegate more responsibilities. While we take pride in being hands-on and collaborative to uphold our standards, we are continuously working on empowering team members to take ownership of their roles. We appreciate your advice and will use it to refine how we balance the needs of our team and business. We’re committed to fostering a culture that values both high-quality work and the well-being of everyone involved. We wish you the best in your future endeavors and thank you for contributing to our journey.

Explore other reviews about VAWAA

5.0
23 Sept 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- founder-led, passionate leader with a lot of heart for the business and the people she hires - Mission is worthwhile and easy to believe in - room to grow in roles - opportunity to contribute and grow the business from whatever role you have - great ideas are always welcome

Cons

- work is best suited for self-starters - resilience and ability to roll with the ups and downs of business needs is a must

1
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VAWAA Response
1y
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback! We're glad to hear that you resonate with our mission and appreciate the opportunities for growth and contribution. Your advice on continuing to invest in our community is valuable, and we remain committed to building a supportive, resilient team. Thank you for being part of our journey.
1.0
10 Feb 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If you're at all creatively inclined and passionate about connecting with people, working with international artists and facilitating meaningful human connection is a dream.

Cons

In short, the most bizarre professional experience of my life. I left *weeks* into a role I was initially please-pinch-me-is-this-real-life-over-the-moon excited about. -Unbearable and misguided micromanagement (at one point, I was asked to account for every minute of my day so that we could understand how I was spending my time). Perhaps more concerning than the general lack of customary mutual respect and warm interpersonal relations in the working environment are the implications of such behavior - and associated wasted time - on overall organizational improvement and scale. -Endless working hours. ("I made it clear that this role is 24/7/365 during the interview process.") -Dismissive management, complete with belittling language and rude interactions. ...there are now several people on GlassDoor sharing similar (read: extremely poor) experiences. We don't know each other from a hole in a wall. This isn't a conspiracy. There is a very clear common denominator. Draw your own conclusion.

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