Many high-performers haven't left, but they've disengaged and chosen to protect themselves rather than continually absorb the consequences of a dysfunctional system. Others who have carried the business on their shoulders for years have finally had enough, and are leaving. A notable proportion of the workforce is staying primarily because of share holdings and the prospect of an exit.
The operational infrastructure of this business is significantly underdeveloped, mainly because it refuses to invest in any support function. There are no Standard Operating Procedures or Work Instructions, nothing that codifies how processes should run, allows for consistent execution, or enables new joiners to get up to speed. Onboarding reflects this, and new joiners are struggling. There is no programme management function and no change management capability. Many roles are poorly scoped.
Performance accountability is inconsistently applied, which means in practice it is not applied at all. Underperformance and poor interpersonal behaviour carry no consequences. Engaged employees pick up the slack on business-critical work with no recognition that the distribution of effort is deeply unequal. Management punctuality and reliability sets a poor example from the top.
Most troubling: when company leaders were asked directly how the organisation protects women from misogyny (in an organisation that is over 75% male), the response amounted to personal reassurance - "I haven't seen it here." Organisations serious about inclusion point to structures, processes, and data. Good intentions and anecdote are not substitutes.
