There’s definitely favoritism and a level of toxicity, especially when you first start. It’s not the most welcoming environment, and at times it can feel cliquey, which makes it harder to feel included and supported. It can come across as competitive in a negative way instead of team-focused.
You’re often held accountable for things that happened before you even joined the company. If you take over a practice with an already struggling culture, there’s an expectation to fix everything quickly, which just isn’t realistic. As someone with management experience, it takes time to observe, understand the team, and build trust before making meaningful changes.
On top of that, training takes about a month, so by the time you’re actually ready to fully step in, expectations are already high and there’s pressure to perform immediately. It can feel like you’re set up to fall behind.
There’s also a strong focus on metrics without always having the staffing or support needed to meet them, which adds to the overall stress and burnout.