• The “Associates” concept is not consistently lived—many employees feel more used than valued
• Contributions are often not recognised; high performers can feel invisible unless they actively self-promote
• Management is aware of engagement and morale issues but action is slow or superficial
• Casual racism and bias exist in parts of the organisation and are often tolerated or ignored rather than addressed directly
• Inclusion is talked about more than it is enforced in day-to-day behaviours
• Career development is weak and inconsistent.
• Opportunities are not always merit-based; favoritism and internal networks play a significant role in who gets visibility and advancement
• Accountability is low—leaders are comfortable leading discussions but avoid owning outcomes
• Missed commitments rarely have consequences, which lowers the overall performance bar
• Decision-making is slow, political, and often happens offline; formal forums are sometimes just for alignment, not real decisions
• Governance is selectively followed—processes are bypassed when inconvenient!!
• A culture of “chasing” is normalized—teams spend excessive time following up instead of executing
• Strong individuals are relied upon to hold things together; when they leave, performance drops
• Leadership frequently pushes ambitious targets without taking full ownership of operational realities, creating downstream pressure on teams
• There is a tendency to label those who uphold standards and governance as “difficult” or “inflexible,” instead of addressing underlying gaps
• Constructive challenge is sometimes dismissed or redirected, creating a perception that speaking up carries more risk than staying aligned
• At times, leadership narratives can shift to suit the situation, which can feel like a dismissal of earlier positions or agreed principles
• Associates who push for discipline and accountability may feel their intent is mischaracterised rather than genuinely considered
