had high expectations from Schindler India after going through an extensive 5-6 hour interview process. During the discussions, I made it clear that I aspired to work as an HR Business Partner (HRBP) in a foreign MNC environment. The hiring team assured me that talent acquisition (TA) responsibilities were handled by a central team and not part of the HRBP role. However, after joining, I realized that TA was a significant part of the job, which was a complete misrepresentation—a clear breach of the psychological contract.
Instead of joining an organization that promised me a career, I joined one that deceived me and ultimately derailed my career. I was looking forward to a role where I could make a meaningful impact, but I found myself in a toxic environment that prioritizes superficial networking over genuine efforts to improve the workplace.
Despite this, I tried to give my best and focus on hiring while navigating the challenges. However, I was dismayed to find that the top leadership showed no interest in addressing these operational challenges. Instead, there’s an overwhelming focus on superficial aspects like attending social events, personal branding, and casual networking with regional business leaders. These activities seemed more important than solving real, on-the-ground problems or improving employee experiences.
What’s even more surprising is that I spoke to several employees who have been with the company for over 8 years, only to discover that they had never even interacted with their HRBP or anyone from HR. It’s shocking that a company, which claims to value people and culture, can have employees feeling so disconnected from their HR function.
I joined Schindler India with the intent of making a difference in people’s lives, understanding their issues, and helping solve them. But the culture here prioritizes optics over substance. It rewards those who waste time on socializing rather than focusing on meaningful contributions to employee welfare and business improvements.
It’s deeply disheartening to see a workplace that markets itself as supportive and inclusive, but in reality, fosters a toxic culture that sidelines anyone who doesn’t fit their mold of extroverted networking and self-promotion. This lack of transparency and focus on real issues has led to many talented professionals leaving the organization.
