This review is based on my personal experience and opinion. It is not intended to state facts about the company or individuals involved.
I joined the travel healthcare staffing team with high hopes of opportunity and somewhere I could really make a difference and grow in my career. I was told it was a small team and the opportunity to create something big was wide open. That in and of itself was exciting for me, given the current travel healthcare market and how rough most companies in the industry have had it the past year or so.
However, the expectations and management of the team did not align with what I was led to believe.
I quickly discovered an environment that may suit only those brand new to their careers or those unaffected by a highly controlled, inflexible management style.
From day one, leadership exhibited a micromanagement approach. This created a work atmosphere that stifled creativity and independence, giving the impression that trust was non-existent. It felt like I was about to be managed as if I were new to my career and the industry, which was not the case.
Despite being salaried, employees are held to rigid schedule expectations, 8 AM to 5 PM with mandatory daily on-camera meetings at the start of every day. My first two weeks involved frequent check-ins that felt more like monitoring than support, without much actual purpose or benefit. There is also a clear lack of understanding for caregivers or those needing more flexible hours. One example was hiring someone on the West Coast and expecting them to attend a daily 5:15 AM meeting that could have been an email. Any suggestion for adjusting this schedule or allowing more flexibility was dismissed outright.
I expressed after my interview that I didn’t feel it was the right fit, personality and job duty-wise. But I was assured there was flexibility in the role and opportunities for achieving sales goals in different ways.
After a week, it became clear my primary role was to make candidate marketing calls. When I suggested alternative methods for success, I was initially given the impression of flexibility. However, this quickly changed, and I was put back into a narrow expectation of monitored calls and mass data entry, with unclear targets.
Leadership showed a lack of empathy and emotional intelligence, dismissing concerns and failing to utilize employees’ diverse skill sets. When I voiced my career growth ambitions and the need for meaningful, diverse work, I was limited to tasks that represented a step back in my career goals. Concerns about my direct supervisor’s communication style were brushed off as “coaching opportunities.”
The compensation structure is another drawback. The pay is low, and it can take several months to gain momentum, even for those putting in tremendous effort.
There also seemed to be a lack of appreciation for diverse skill sets and experienced ideas that could significantly contribute to the team’s success. There appeared to be some ageism at play, though this was denied, with turnover attributed to other causes.
On a positive note, the new recruitment lead is wonderful and caring. While new to the industry, they have found some success. I hope they can continue being an empathetic leader.
This experience underscored the importance of effective leadership development and genuinely considering employee concerns. High turnover rates on this team indicate an issue with the work environment that needs addressing.
In summary, this team might be suitable for those needing a stepping stone on their resume and can endure a highly controlled, monotonous work environment. However, for those with experience and a desire for growth, creativity, respect, and meaningful engagement, it’s likely not a good fit. Be prepared for a rigid, unsupportive environment with limited opportunities for advancement or swift financial reward. I hope to see a shift towards acknowledging and addressing these issues.
