Chelsea are one of the most popular soccer teams in the world, home to USMNT star Christian Pulisic among other world class players. The club is not only made up of their top end players or manager but also by its day-to-day staff.
It is that same staff that have dubbed the working environment at Chelsea as a “toxic workplace culture”. In total 10 employees of Chelsea’s marketing department have left the club due to this “toxic” environment.
Now the New York Times are reporting that several former and current staff members at the club have told the Times that they were used to being berated by their boss in front of everyone, even being thrown out of meetings.
Chelsea to probe poor working culture at the club
What brought these allegations to a head was the suicide in January of Richard Bignell, the former head of Chelsea TV, after what was called the “despair of losing his job”.
Marcos Alonso of Chelsea celebrates with team mate Christian Pulisic after scoring their sides first goalbetween Chelsea and Leicester City (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
In May the club was bought by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital and as the club processes this transition from the Abramovich era to the Boehly era before the sale the club hired a consultancy firm to review the working environment at the club.
“The club’s new board believes strongly in a workplace environment and corporate culture that empowers its employees and ensures they feel safe, included, valued and trusted,” Chelsea’s board stated when the Times contacted them when investigating the allegations.
The club’snew owners expressed, “initial steps have been taken by the new owners to instill an environment consistent with our values”.
Chelsea would be wise to review their club culture as in the Times article many former employees complained about their mental health dealing with their boss in the marketing department and the club’s toxic environment. Many of the employees of the marketing department at the club have left since the death of Bignell.
