Pros

In a time when economic options are narrowing, having a position at a company like DRC is better than working retail or some other service-oriented job. This position entails decent benefits, an opportunity to expand one's knowledge base, and the opportunity to network with others to eventually find a more suitable position with a company that better fits an individual's needs and personal traits. Not every company is suited for every person. Another person might find the situation with this company perfect for him/her. It's all relative.

Cons

Opportunities for career development, career progression, and salary increases are few and limited. As a contractor, it requires a lot of job-hopping to gain any kind of mobility, in terms of salary and promotion. Otherwise, you can sit on the same contract in the same grade at the same salary, receiving only annual cost-of-living increases. Don't think about any kind of intrinsic reward program or widespread corporate sense of community. Even just a pat on the back or an "'atta-boy/girl" would be nice. It just doesn't exist on any realistic level.

Advice to Senior Management

Get more on-on-one feedback from individual employees and don't rely so heavily on reports from junior-level managers on how things are going. They're not going to tell you they have an unsatisfied employee, and why that employee is unsatisfied. They're not going to air their laundry in public. If you force an employee to go through HR and Employee Relations when it could have been handled with an informal chat over coffee and some conscientious follow up by a higher level manager, why take it to that point? Most employees just want to know they are acknowledged, their concerns are addressed, and something positive is going to be done - even if it's a compromise.