A good company with some serious flaws - Management HCSS Employee Review

3.0
4 Aug 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

-Profit-Sharing, fair pay, and decent benefits -A sprawling, modern campus to enjoy (in non-covid times) There are some truly great people that work here, at all levels. Unlike other companies I have worked for, there are a number of thoughtful managers that do their best everyday to serve those around them.

Cons

-Lacks diversity in upper management -Micromanagement and bureaucracy cascades down from the highest levels far more than it should. Even trivial decisions can require approval at multiple levels. There are a lot of head-scratching moments at HCSS. I've witnessed many confounding decisions and can only throw up my hands and move along because middle and upper-level management doesn't necessarily want (and rarely solicits) opinions or feedback. You will often be faced with a clear contradiction. A slogan used is, "We don't do things a certain way just because that's how we've always done it." Yet, it's not rare to meet great resistance to new ideas or to hear, "Well, just do this because that's the way *upper-management figure* wants to do it." (Which happens to be the way we've always done it, with the same "reasoning".) The recent COVID-19 response has been sub-optimal at best. We keep hearing from management that we are returning soon and nearly all of the chatter is about those preparations. But we should be hearing just as much about the contingency plans, the risks and infections at the office, and a better sense that the return date isn't just something arbitrary that our executives have set their mind to (and can't be dissuaded from). There is a strong sense that the return to "our culture" is more important than people's safety. What kind of culture would that be if it disregards employee safety? The TMC states that the Houston area has spiked to over 2,000 cases a day (Aug 4th, 2021) vs 133 cases last month and the only thing being discussed with me is whether I have everything I need to return to the office. Am I testing my equipment? (In the last week alone, I've witnessed people being mandated to go in and work a full day in the office to get back into the "swing of things"). With an infection percentage rate increase North of 1400%, that's a bit silly, isn't it? Beyond silly, dangerous and thoughtless.

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HCSS Response
4y
We agree that we have caring and considerate managers at HCSS, and that our compensation, benefits, and campus are amazing! The 4 highest ranking executives happen to be white males. They also happen to have around 90 years of experience in the industry between the 4 of them. Beyond these 4 individuals is a leadership team full of diversity. Each executive and member of our leadership team is in their position because of their performance and their impact on the HCSS. We admit that at times, we can micro-manage people and projects. Some of this is a result of passion around a project, but it’s also the result of things not getting done. If work isn’t getting done, someone must step in to ensure that progress is made. The slogan “We don’t do things a certain way because that's how we’ve always done it” is certainly true. You can see that in our day to day operations as well as our company structure. We continue to evolve as our industry evolves. New ideas are always welcome, but a new idea may not always be great for our business, or fit with our overall business strategy. It’s unfortunate that you feel like your opinions and feedback aren’t valid. Ask Mike (a forum where employees can ask the CEO anything anonymously and he will publish a response) has proven to be a very effective tool for this, with direct action as a response (changes to our maternity leave policy is a perfect example). We also use a survey tool to measure engagement on a quarterly basis, and we have also deployed surveys in the past to understand how people feel about their managers. Sadly, we often don’t receive a large response rate. We can provide the tools to get employee feedback, but can’t force people to use them. We understand the concern regarding Covid infection, and we are taking additional steps to ensure that employees feel safe when they work in the office. A space will be set aside in Building 3 for employees who want to take extra precautions. Desks will be 6 feet apart, and masks will be required in this area. All employees are asked to wear masks in public spaces, and we are providing an emblem for employees to place outside of their workstation to indicate if masks should be worn when entering their workspace. The decision to open or close the office has always been based on the decision of school districts, which is hardly arbitrary. The decision to return to the office on September 1st stands as of now and will continue to be evaluated. We believe our culture is important, but so is the safety of our employees. Many businesses returned to normal operations months ago. Many stayed open throughout the pandemic. I believe the decision to stay closed for over a year and a half shows that we want what’s best for our employees and their families. To our knowledge, no one has been required to work in the office outside of a few individuals. I would hope that you voiced your concerns over this, as well as the other concerns you mentioned, to your manager. Posting your grievances with HCSS on Glassdoor won’t solve the issues you have. But as you mentioned earlier, we have great managers who care about your career as well as your safety. Sharing your concerns with them can open the door for the resolution of the issues. It may also create a conversation so you can understand why some of these decisions are being made.

Explore other reviews about HCSS

5.0
28 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great place to learn and grow, they very open to questions so don't hesitate to ask. Very hands on with mentorship, ensure you are moving in the right direction.

Cons

no cons except the pay, but it's the typical salary for an intern.

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HCSS Response
3d
Thank you for the review and for being part of the HCSS team! It's great to hear that the mentorship and learning opportunities made a positive impact on your internship experience. We believe some of the best growth happens when people feel comfortable asking questions and getting hands-on experience, so we're glad that was your experience here. We appreciate the feedback and wish you continued success in your future career endeavors!
4.0
22 May 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great company culture, strong leadership, and generous benefits package

Cons

Onboarding pressure, excessive assignments for newcomers, lower pay, and noisy office environment

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HCSS Response
1w
We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review and are glad to hear you’ve had a positive experience with our culture and leadership team. Feedback on onboarding and the overall new-hire experience is important to us, and we’re continuing to refine our processes to ensure employees feel supported, prepared, and connected as they transition into their roles. Thank you again for sharing your perspective.
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