Pluspunten
As an HR professional, I found the work at Straine to be relatively straightforward, as the company appears to lack a fundamental understanding of HR strategy and principles. The tasks were quite basic, though they were perceived as more complex by the organization. This discrepancy allowed for ample time to complete the work, coupled with compensation that exceeded the actual value of the role. I doubt this is true across the company, but was true for an HR role.
Minpunten
Working at Straine was an experience that felt reminiscent of a bygone era. The leadership style is highly micromanaged and hierarchical, offering little to no autonomy for employees. There is a noticeable resistance to technological advancement, with management often displaying a lack of understanding of modern tech trends, and assuming that employees share this same limited knowledge. My onboarding experience was disorganized and poorly planned, leaving me with little support or guidance. The company's internal culture seems insular, with leadership taking pride in maintaining the same practices for the past three decades. There is a strong reluctance to embrace change or constructive feedback. For those hired at lower levels, the treatment can be dismissive and unprofessional. The office environment is "mandatory" in-person, with remote work exceptions, which can feel contradictory given the nature of modern work expectations. A 6:30 AM start time is mandatory, and yet exceptions are made for select employees, indicating inconsistency in the application of company policies. One of the most odd aspects of working there was the expectation for employees to attend in-person meetings only to spend the day on video calls via Teams, even when other team members were physically present in the office. This created a rather disjointed and inefficient work environment. Despite enduring what felt like hours of training sessions on basic office tools like Outlook and receiving lectures about workplace expectations, I was let go on my third day. While the company claims they do not like to terminate employees, the fact that a large portion of the workforce has been with the company for less than two years is telling. Straine does not align with the expectations of a modern workplace and fosters a toxic environment.