Not a Happy Place - Interior Design Internship Shea Employee Review

Strong culture of creative individuals

Top leadership is not aligned

- Small company environment with opportunities to wear multiple hats and learn diverse skills - Work with talented, creative designers on interesting projects - Coworkers were professional, respectful, and collaborative - the team itself was a positive aspect of working here

- Leadership communication style can be unpredictable and sometimes feels punitive rather than constructive, occasionally using extreme or aggressive language for routine workplace issues - Leadership responses to workplace issues were sometimes emotionally reactive rather than professionally measured, creating an unpredictable and uncomfortable work environment - Significant operational changes were sometimes implemented abruptly without advance communication, planning, or input from affected staff - Security practices were inadequate across multiple areas - outdated physical access systems were not upgraded despite safety concerns and professional recommendations, and basic IT security protocols were resisted - Leadership responses to employee mistakes or questions were often withdrawn communication rather than constructive feedback, creating an environment where staff feared making errors or asking for clarification - Performance reviews were not used for meaningful professional development - discussions about advancement resulted in vague irrelevant deflections rather than concrete pathways, even when performing higher-level responsibilities - No HR support for addressing workplace or management concerns (benefits administration exists, but professional HR boundaries were not maintained - including disparaging comments about former employees during my onboarding) - Long-tenured leadership created a culture that felt resistant to feedback or change - Raising questions or concerns about processes sometimes resulted in negative responses rather than constructive dialogue - Problems were often framed as employee failures rather than opportunities for management to improve processes or communication