Eden Hall - Food and Beverage Assistant Barons Eden Employee Review

None come to mind at all.

When Barons Eden (now Hidden Well) took over our workplace, the atmosphere was positive and many employees were genuinely excited about the future. Senior management visited the hotel and reassured staff that we were valued, our jobs were secure, and our hard work was appreciated. Only a few months later, we were informed that the hotel would be closing for a full refurbishment. Staff were told that alternative employment opportunities would be available, and my department was specifically assured that we would be offered roles elsewhere within the business because management had been impressed with our performance and commitment. These assurances ultimately proved inaccurate, creating false expectations for both employees and managers. Once the redundancy process began, numerous issues emerged. There were communication failures between central HR and senior leadership, redundancy pay calculations were initially incorrect, and recruitment opportunities appeared inconsistent and poorly managed. Some employees never received updates regarding applications, even when unsuccessful. Roles that were presented as permanent opportunities were later revealed to be fixed-term contracts lasting only four to six months. Throughout the process, many questions and concerns went unanswered. Employees facing uncertainty about their livelihoods received little meaningful support, and empathy from senior leadership was noticeably lacking. It became increasingly clear that there was no well-communicated or coherent plan in place, despite the organisation having previous experience of similar situations. The most disappointing aspect was the contrast between what employees were told and what actually happened. Staff who had shown loyalty, flexibility, and dedication were left feeling misled and undervalued. Many had gone above and beyond for the business, only to be left uncertain about their future and unclear about their entitlements following the closure. Management need to recognise that these decisions affect the livelihoods of real people, not just operational targets. The way this process was handled damaged trust and morale among employees who had consistently worked hard to support the business. Greater transparency, accountability, planning, and compassion would have made a difficult situation far more manageable for those whose lives were directly impacted.

The personality of all 13 members of the team who quit within 2 months because of 1 individual

I was a top performer in the business—consistently one of the highest earners every month for nearly two years—and not once did I feel genuinely valued by senior management. That alone says everything about how this company treats its staff. What makes this worse is that it wasn’t always like this. The culture used to be positive, supportive, and collaborative. However, since around November, when new management came in, the environment has rapidly deteriorated into something completely different. Within just two months, over 13 employees resigned. New starters are being told this was due to “system changes,” which is simply not true. People are leaving because of poor leadership, lack of accountability, and a working environment that has become completely unsustainable. A formal grievance was raised by a large group of employees outlining serious issues, including: A toxic and controlling culture, where staff were told not to talk to each other and even pulled up for basic things like laughing An intimidating management style, with meetings that felt more like being spoken down to or threatened than supported Dishonesty and lack of transparency around pay, including commission changes being mishandled and capped last-minute Chronic understaffing, with resignations, dismissals, and stress-related absences ignored while remaining staff are pushed to breaking point Unrealistic pressure and workload, leading to burnout across the team Blatant favouritism and unfair processes, especially around opportunities and progression A complete collapse in morale, trust, and wellbeing When staff raised these concerns, HR’s response made things even clearer. Employees were told directly that they “do not run the company,” making it obvious that their voices carry no weight. On top of that, HR referred to employees who had left as “lazy,” which is both disrespectful and completely out of touch with the reality of why so many experienced staff chose to leave. Despite all of this being formally raised, nothing meaningful has been done. This has become a heavily stats-driven environment where numbers matter more than people. You are not valued, you are not supported—you are a number. And once you can’t keep up with the pressure created by their own poor management, you’ll be replaced without hesitation. There are some genuinely good people in the teams, but they are being consistently let down by leadership that refuses to take responsibility. If you want to be respected, supported, and treated fairly, look elsewhere.