Nice from the outside, rotten on the inside

Salaries: Generally positioned at the lower end of the industry spectrum, with the exception of Senior Management. Work Ethics: The culture tends to be reactive; provided operations continue to function, there is limited managerial concern for underlying issues. Work–Life Balance: Potentially excellent, provided one pays close attention to the contract and its finer details. Rewards: Demonstrating strong performance often results in an increased workload rather than meaningful recognition. Internal Hiring Process: Significantly flawed and in need of comprehensive reform. - Cons: The current hiring process appears fundamentally compromised due to informal internal arrangements. I have applied for multiple roles; on one occasion, I completed the full interview process only to learn informally that the team had already agreed to appoint a specific individual prior to interviews even taking place. For other roles, I was rejected outright on the basis of not holding a British passport, despite knowing this should not lawfully or ethically influence my suitability as a candidate. Personally, I find this company utterly perplexing. I dedicated years of hard work and commitment, only to be met with token gestures of appreciation. Meanwhile, a colleague spent his days comfortably coasting, treating work as leisure, and in hindsight his approach now seems almost wise. Why exhaust oneself when genuine effort appears unnoticed? Why aspire to progress when so many decisions seem to be made during casual smoke-break conversations rather than through merit? At this stage, I am simply choosing to take a more relaxed, measured approach.