Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Reviews

Throughout my government career I tried to convince myself that things might change, or that someone would address the dangerous issues at this organisation. The behaviour I witnessed and experienced from colleagues, managers and senior leaders incubated and exacerbated a remarkably toxic environment. It's reflected in many reviews here, which I wholeheartedly agree with. At Dstl I witnessed countless examples of gross misconduct and corruption including security violations, breaches of employee confidentiality and orchestrated bullying and exclusion. During my time with the organisation I knew of at least six staff members who were 'run out of town' because their faces didn't fit. Raising concerns or reporting poor behaviour was a fast track to being labelled a trouble-maker. Due to ineffective and incompetent HR support, this invisible label often imposed a career ceiling and led to staff departures. An independent government investigation of my part of Dstl concluded that there were 'teams within teams' driving a culture of institutionalised bullying. The interactions of staff were governed by a shadowy system of mates, owed favours and long-term cover-ups. Key business decisions were conducted at managers' houses after one or two drinks. They even called these meetings the 'council of elders'. Again and again I witnessed senior staff members (Dstl level 8+) heaping derision on official policies and guidance while treating 'corporate' staff with utter contempt. Rules were disregarded daily, and the collateral damage was significant in terms of reputation and staff wellbeing. Because of ingrained corruption among middle managers (many promoted using advancement loopholes they closed behind them), the performance management, discipline and promotion processes are almost entirely a sham. In reality the characters of candidates are discussed off-the-record by a group of cronies, with barely any consideration paid to feedback or performance. In my personal experience, written evidence submitted by senior military leaders was not even read. Instead, a closed and unofficial meeting decided my future based on nothing more concrete than management hearsay. Among my former colleagues, some choose to leave their morals at home to play the game. This has led to the emergence of a powerful new middle class of yes-men and corporate shills, who are unconcerned with delivering anything of value to users, service people or wider society. If you say the right things and laugh at the right jokes, expect advancement and recognition (even proposals for Queen's Honours have been linked to good PR and a squeaky-clean internal image). And who doesn't love a tarnished OBE? Soon Dstl will be staffed only by contractor project managers and buzzwording clip-on tie merchants. This self appointed manager class regard scientists and engineers as the worker-bees of the hive, so is it any wonder the brains of the place are leaving in droves? In my area recruitment and retention was such an issue that many technical staff were overworked and under-recognised, covering 2 or 3 gapped posts. Remarkably the below-inflation pay rises and pathetic union representation were not the most concerning things among staff - management incompetence and bullying were normally higher in the staff 'have your say' surveys. In the end, I sought help after a situation took me to the brink of a serious mental episode. I could not function and working with certain groups brought on panic attacks. I was crying in the car, breaking my teeth in my sleep and I developed a gastric ulcer. NHS medical staff, mental health professionals and Dstl occupational health and Fair Treatment Advisors suggested that I should escape the damaging work environment as soon as possible. They told me not to expect change in the organisation. Let me repeat that - Dstl OH told me to leave for the sake of my mental health (!!) During the period I was signed off sick due to workplace stress, anxiety and depression I learned than another couple of colleagues had resigned. Yet another has been in a mental health revolving door for a couple of years - a cycle where they say the right things to get him back before leading him back to the brink. And yet the perpetrators remain and my friends continue to circle the drain. Since I left a year ago, another four staff have departed (one resigned with no job to go to, it was so intolerable). Dstl HR and management are fully aware of the issues and the enabling structures but they are incapable of taking meaningful action. Some are responsible for emboldening this behaviour by turning away from awkward realities and avoiding uncomfortable conversations. The disciplinary process is so broken that people who should be fired get promoted out of trouble and shuffled around the organisation. In the best cases, inaction makes senior staff complicit. But in many other situations they refuse to act, which has the effect of imprisoning victims and worsening mental health. My experience is that it is not possible to recover at Dstl - the only option is to leave the abusive employer/staff relationship altogether. I provided extensive and written evidence, detailed impact statements and third-party witness testimony of my situation, but the responsible leaders at Team, Group and Division level decided not to help me. So I left and got a great job doing (almost) the same thing in the private sector. I immediately received almost double the salary plus a bonus and a company car. But the most significant thing is that every day I am treated with respect, and I trust my colleagues and management team. Dstl should be ashamed - the organisation fully deserves the reviews posted here - and I can identify with many other reviewers' experiences. DON'T STAY TOO LONG - save your mental health and go elsewhere.