Toxic, Outdated, and Deeply Unprofessional - Graphic Designer YM Inc. Employee Review

There are so many unprofessional things that I don’t even know where to begin. All of the senior management are incredibly ignorant, toxic, and constantly at odds with their own teams. They’re always trying to prove themselves through empty talk, yet they’re not even proficient in many of the tools and programs that entry-level employees use. Their technological skills are extremely weak. Everyone at the senior level is shockingly unqualified and toxic, and they don’t actually do any real work. They don’t produce anything. They attend a few meetings each week, flatter the chairman, talk at length as if they know everything, and present themselves very well — but they don’t follow through on anything or properly do their jobs. They also force entry-level and intermediate employees to work on-site, while some managers and senior staff quietly work from home whenever the chairman isn’t around, because they’re not accountable to anyone. Everyone is trying to get away with doing as little as possible. Many managers have been there for over 10 years and come and go as they please. If it’s not a busy season like Black Friday, the office is practically empty. There’s also extreme ageism. You go to a manager and say, “This person requested this revision,” and the first thing they ask is: “Who was it? How old are they?” If the employee is young or has only been there 2–3 years, they’re not taken seriously at all. People literally have to beg to get their work done. Most people come and go whenever they want. If their supervisors aren’t around, they don’t show up either. I’ve lost count of how many times I looked up from my work and realized I was completely alone in the office — it sometimes feels like a ghost town. Other times, it feels like a daycare. Since they force people to come into the office, some parents bring their kids. It’s a complete mess. And let’s talk about how they exploit immigrants. Most of the actual work and production is done by entry-level and intermediate employees, many of whom are immigrants whose desperation is being taken advantage of, and who are not paid what they deserve. If you look at their job postings, the max salary is usually around 50,000 CAD — someone should tell them about inflation. They take advantage of people’s circumstances and make them hate their professions. New ideas are always seen as a problem, and people who bring them are treated like troublemakers. They’re incredibly cheap and outdated. Instead of giving employees free bagels every morning, they should invest in their websites, stores, and production. They’re still using technology from 10–20 years ago. As graphic designers, we were forced to design websites using InDesign. Even if you suggest better, free tools that you’re experienced with, they don’t care — because the managers don’t know those programs. They see people who are skilled with modern tools as a threat. In short, unless you’re at risk of being unemployed, this toxic company is not worth it. If you’re educated, they’ll eventually try to push you out anyway because they never want to give raises. Don’t expect to grow within the company. There’s such high turnover in certain roles that people don’t even bother introducing themselves to you anymore — they just assume you’ll be gone soon. These roles are usually under specific managers, and former employees have already accepted how toxic these managers are and how frequently they replace staff. I honestly don’t know what protects these people. I have a few theories: either the company would have to pay huge compensation if they were fired, or they’re just incredibly good at selling themselves. There are people I’ve emailed and sent work to regularly, yet I’ve only seen them in the office maybe two or three times at most. I have no idea how they get away with working from home so secretly all the time. Every single day, I curse these people. I honestly hope all their brands and stores fail and shut down. Everyone in the industry already knows how toxic this company is. In every interview I had after leaving, whenever I mentioned this company, people looked at me with pity. It doesn’t even add value to your CV — its reputation is terrible, and it actually brings your credibility down.