Learning and Work Institute reviews

1. Substantial pressure to overwork due to consistent underestimation of project costs. 2. Normalisation of working far beyond contracted hours, late evenings and weekends, leading to high stress and burnout among staff. 3. A blame culture where problems tend to be looked at as an individual issue rather than in the context of organisational issues or a lack of support. 4. A failure to practice what they preach on several levels: staff did not have much access to formal skills development, little effort to make hiring inclusive, no clear progression for apprentices and interns, below market rate pay. 5. Resistant to change and innovation. Preference for the tried and tested which limited creativity. 6. Slow response to staff concerns despite repeated instances of raising these issues. 7. Some favouritism while other colleagues are marginalised. Some senior staff openly criticised colleagues and on more than one occasion this crossed the line into hostility and obviously pushing people out. It can be a good place to work for a short time if you do not get on the wrong side of some senior staff and are prepared to work too hard. However overall it could not be recommended for any longer term career advancement. They attract talented people but fail to nurture them, and display a lack of care about their staff.

L&W needs to start practising what it preaches. There’s a real lack of staff training. Huge gaps between pay at the top and the bottom. Management don’t listen to staff, which leads to high turnover. Projects aren’t managed efficiently as staff don’t get to build up knowledge and are simply moved from one area to another with no time for thought or reflection.