"A fish rots from the head down" was a favorite slogan of one long-time director, who tried to quit at least once but was likely lured back by a pay increase. The owners are a self-styled dictators and a bumbling social misfit. Both are inflexible, emotionally driven, and fail to motivate or trust their staff. Neither partner listens to employee feedback or ideas. The owners regularly jump from method to method, depending on what book they are reading this month. Personal wealth is their number one goal, and the owners have been trying to unload the business for years. Attempts to persuade managers to buy them out regularly fall flat. The owners are the bu-t of jokes by even the most long-term employees; there is no respect on either side.
Most concerning is the culture of malice that ignores the mention of impropriety at best and harasses it at worst. Employee harassment based on s-x and ethnic origin is the norm, and they do not document even extreme cases, giving free rein to discrimination. I regularly heard mocking accents and terrible names and epithets used about both employees and clients. When talk of promoting a female to a manager position arose, the president said: "I am not sure I'm ready for that." TES has consistently lost talent and business because of a pervasive culture of negativity and vulgarity. HR regularly made attempts to create a positive culture, but they usually fell flat because of a lack of support from ownership.
Despite the negativity, the supervisors include some sincere experts that do their best in such a climate. Their caring attitude and professional skill, particularly in mentoring the younger staff, are admirable. Unfortunately, these exceptions are merely biding their time and consider TES "a means to an end." With the consistent loss of employees and dependence on one large and increasingly irrelevant client, it won't be long until more vital and efficient firms eliminate TES.
Considering the negativity, culture of discrimination, and lack of respect prevalent in the business, I cannot recommend TES Engineering.