cafe shift lead - Shift Lead SSP Group Employee Review

2.0
20 Jan 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There was very little oversight. I wanted to work hard and be left alone. My General Manager said hello to me once in a while that was about it. The generous paid time off policy applied universally from the lowliest part time employee to the station GM. Incredibly generous paid time off was allotted in a lump on the first of the year and was paid out if you quit but not if fired. Many people would quit in January to take advantage of this. A free meal was provided if you were anything above an entree level position. Severely discounted if you were just a regular employee. Quick advancement was easy provided you maintained a good attitude under some times difficult/unfair circumstances. Secure working environment. Its an airport.If a drunk customer is bothering a barista, exchanges counterfeit money, is behaving threatening, we called the airport sheriff and often with in minutes a very large armed man showed up and diffused the situation for us.

Cons

For being a large corporation every one was very unprofessional. Severe payroll issues. After being hired I wasn't paid for five weeks. When I was paid there were a lot more hours then I should have been paid. Things like this happened often and were not corrected in a timely manner. One of my fellow shift leaders had paycheck discrepancies two pay periods in a row. SSP America refused to cut a check for moneys owed so she could pay Rent. A customer saw her crying in the unit asked her why and then gifted her several hundred dollars so she wouldn't lose her apartment. Turn over was incredibly high. Good employees with no previous write ups would be fired over minor infractions. Occasionally high performing people would be hired and quickly leave because they knew they didn't have to put up with the disorganization. Bad employees were very difficult to get the company to terminate. When they were terminated they were often quickly rehired because we were so short staffed. I witnessed a lot of sexual harassment. I brought it up occasionally but no action was taken. Theft of products and money were common. Favoritism was rampant. Many of my fellow middle managers and upper management knew no one was watching and did their best to do as little as possible for weeks at a time. When I was trained I was told directly that I could work as hard or as little as I wanted and no one would notice. Health insurance provided by the company was not affordable nor of very good quality. Corporate audits would happen every couple of months and their would be a mad scramble of mild fraud and coaching to get the units to be able to pass inspection. If our station and units made money any sin would be overlooked by corporate.

Explore other reviews about SSP Group

5.0
14 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There is room for growth and opportunities to transfer domestic or international

Cons

Lack of communication, but that's with any job

1.0
24 Feb 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The employee meal discount is genuinely helpful since bringing food into the airport or buying it from outside is difficult. Many hourly employees are friendly, supportive, and hardworking. Most frontline managers try their best and often go above and beyond despite the pressure they face.

Cons

Senior leadership in the Northeast region operates with intimidation, ego, and favoritism, creating a toxic and unprofessional environment. Schedules are changed constantly with little notice, and employees are expected to work long, exhausting hours without regard for work–life balance. When employees speak up about burnout or need to call out due to exhaustion, they are often targeted instead of supported. Union employees frequently earn more than the supervisors responsible for managing them, which creates tension and undermines morale. Promotions are based on personal relationships rather than merit, and nepotism is widespread across multiple levels of leadership. HR functions more as a disciplinary weapon than a neutral resource for resolving issues or supporting employees. The overall culture is retaliatory, inconsistent, and not aligned with ethical or sustainable business practices.

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SSP Group Response
3mo
We are sorry to hear about your negative experience. Your feedback is important to us,
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