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Step Up for Students

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Increased overhead spending, imprudent government fund steward, toxic leadership - Manager Step Up for Students Employee Review

1.0
29 Aug 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Supporting students who require additional educational support.

Cons

Toxic leadership from the CEO (Gretchen) and other leaders is harming to the organization. Leaders frequently bully employees in open forums with 60+ team members. HR will not assist in remediation. There has been a large increase in overhead, much of which funds trivial tasks such as formatting PowerPoint slides, rather than the work that truly support the organization to allow proper scholarships awarded to the students. The new positions primarily supports these overhead activities outside of the executive assistant. As a result, high performing employees are forced to work extended hours, often in back to back meeting, leaving little time to DO the work that would benefit the students. A healthy organization should not have leadership scheduled in back to back meetings all day; it should enable staff to focus on meaningful work. There are many team members that believe in the mission. The wasted spending is not prudent spending for government funds that should support the students.

Explore other reviews about Step Up for Students

5.0
30 Dec 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Fair compensation, generous benefits, culture of caring.

Cons

I have none at this time.

1.0
5 May 2026
Anonymous contractor
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

No pros, seek employment elsewhere.

Cons

The organization is extremely meeting-heavy, and it can be difficult to stay productive with frequent interruptions throughout the day. Onboarding could also be significantly improved. Expectations are not always clearly communicated, yet employees may still be held accountable for processes they were never properly trained on. While I truly appreciate and believe in the mission, the internal processes and overall structure need work. Even experienced professionals may find it challenging to adjust, as the company’s specific way of operating can make the learning curve feel much steeper than necessary. There also appears to be inconsistency in accountability. For example, an employee was terminated for making a mistake, while a manager reportedly made the same mistake without facing the same consequence. Situations like that can create concerns around fairness, leadership consistency, and trust within the organization. Overall, the mission is strong, but the company would benefit from better onboarding, fewer unnecessary meetings, clearer expectations, and more consistent accountability across all levels.

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