... was extremely challenging due to systemic issues in operations and staff management. The system felt chaotic, with a significant portion of operators frequently unwilling or unable to follow instructions. Language barriers and lack of respect for leadership made it difficult to manage a team effectively. Operators often refused to join production lines, citing reasons like back, hand, or leg pain, forcing team leaders to escalate issues to managers to enforce compliance.
Performance management was also difficult. When needing to record poor performance, operators often refused to provide essential information like card numbers. Some long-tenured operators were unable to keep up with the pace expected by management. Team leaders were responsible for up to 35 people, including ensuring sufficient stock, often with little support.
Managers frequently instructed team leaders to push operators to move faster, sometimes shouting commands, which created a stressful environment and led to mistakes. Policies such as timing restroom breaks to a maximum of five minutes were not reasonable, and requests for operators to work overtime during 12-hour shifts were often expected to be accepted without issue.
Health and safety was a major concern. There were trip hazards, empty plastic boxes stacked dangerously high on conveyors, and insufficient staffing, which often left team leaders running lines on their own. On several occasions, I had to manage an entire line alone—including preparing boxes, sourcing stock, palletizing, and scanning—work that normally requires 30+ operators. The facility is cold (around 5°C), and working long hours under such conditions resulted in illness for me multiple times.
Overall, while I value the leadership experience I gained, the working conditions, staffing challenges, and operational expectations made the role extremely difficult and unsustainable.
