Grave concerns about leadership, culture and governance - Recensione dipendente - Dipendente anonimo presso Soi Dog Foundation

This was one of the hardest workplaces I’ve been in. The organisation felt very top‑down. A small senior and male group made most decisions, and there was not much space to question, participate or challenge. It often seemed that only a few voices were listened to while others were completely ignored, shouted down. In my experience, senior leadership did not show any grasp of modern charity governance or how non-profit organisations are usually run. At times I saw the board involved in areas that, in other charities I know, would normally be handled by senior staff, which blurred the line between governance and management. Compared with how governance is usually described in the charity sector, the set‑up here felt quite different. People who offered other opinions, questioned decisions or tried to push back did not usually stay long, which created an atmosphere where many were cautious about speaking up. I saw lots of aggression and shouting in the workplace, which seemed completely inappropriate. In meetings, I and others were interrupted or talked over, even when we had relevant experience. My impression was that some senior men tended to back each other’s views and dismiss alternative perspectives. Over time it felt like male voices automatically carried more weight and that women and non‑male staff were routinely sidelined; to me it came across as a deep‑rooted, everyday and systemic sexism rather than a few one‑off incidents. I often found decisions driven by personal preference or “gut feeling” from people with less experience, with no transparency about decisions. When choices went badly, it often felt like blame was pushed down the hierarchy rather than shared. The general tone from parts of leadership came across as ego‑driven, and there was a sense that normal organisational standards did not always apply, which is worrying in a charity. I experienced what felt like a strong blame culture. Critical emails were sometimes copied widely, and feedback was given in ways I found more shaming than constructive. This added to a climate of anxiety and fear of making mistakes. Some senior behaviour appeared immature or unprofessional to me, including mood swings and passive‑aggressive communication. I also felt there was favouritism in how some people were treated, which several colleagues mentioned privately, although I don’t know what was happening behind the scenes. A colleague who raised formal concerns left very suddenly, and staff were not told much about the process. From the outside it looked like an external contractor then got that role with direct reporting to a friend on the board. Having a department report directly to the board rather than the CEO struck me as highly unusual and, in my understanding of charity governance, raises questions about how accountability and oversight are applied. Overall, I found there was little clear structure or accountability at the top, which created a sense of ongoing instability. The animal care itself looked strong and dedicated, but I did not feel that staff wellbeing and basic respect for people met the same standard. The humans really appeared secondary, if even considered at all. You had to sign in at 8am sharp with your face and no flexibility was given at all, for working parents, people with mental health issues etc. While I was there, several senior or experienced staff left for similar reasons, and I did not see much willingness from leadership to reflect on that feedback. Donors usually expect charities to be well governed. Based on my experience, I had serious concerns about how governance standards were being applied here, and anyone giving significant amounts might want to ask specific questions about board oversight, complaints processes and senior staff turnover. It is surprising to me that high‑profile institutional donors continue to support this organisation given the internal culture I experienced. If you’re thinking of working here, I would strongly suggest speaking directly with current and former staff at different levels before accepting a role, especially if you are not male. This is not a safe working environment.