The headless chicken
Gut am Arbeitgeber finde ich
I had the opportunity to collaborate with highly skilled and experienced individuals during my time there. Unfortunately, the majority of them have already departed. Given the current circumstances, it seems likely that the remaining employees will follow.
Schlecht am Arbeitgeber finde ich
The situation is dire, characterized by a catastrophic environment. The founders drive a culture of micromanagement and toxicity, deviating from fostering trust and empowerment. Instead, people are subjected to control and mistrust and heads roll on a regular basis. Disturbingly, employees are even encouraged to report and snitch on their colleagues. One of the founders establishes a parallel company, granting significant power to a selected group of friends he brought into the organization. This individual disrupts operations by involving himself in all company processes, leading to chaos and confusion. The founder's friends essentially have free rein, resulting in mismanaged projects and teams being held accountable for their failures. Furthermore, any change initiatives initiated by new hires are immediately halted, along with projects, that are basically stopped 2 weeks prior to their release. The absence of feature delivery for years speaks volumes about the situation.
Verbesserungsvorschläge
I strongly advise the investors to consider implementing a new top-level management to initiate a turnaround. (Anyway not much of the top level management is left, since the last capable ones left not long ago.) With the current management, I have doubts about the company's ability to achieve sustainable success. They have had ample opportunity over the years but have demonstrated an inability to effectively lead. It is regrettable because the product and its market have significant potential. To foster a healthy company culture, trust should be established as a foundational pillar. Without stability and consistent leadership, a proper culture, processes and a reliable product cannot be achieved. A long-term vision and clear goals need to be established to guide the company's direction and the business model should be overhauled. Growth encompasses more than just marketing. Running countless repetitive marketing campaigns will not win the long term game.
Arbeitsatmosphäre
As mentioned, the company suffers from a detrimental combination of micromanagement and toxicity.
Kommunikation
The communication in this company is a mess. There is a notable absence of transparency from the C-level executives. Initiatives such as OKRs or lighthouse projects may be initiated, but they quickly lose momentum and fail to garner sustained attention or commitment from the employees. The feedback provided by employees is not taken seriously, and a top-down mentality prevails within the company. This approach undermines a culture of open communication and collaboration, inhibiting the organization's ability to benefit from diverse perspectives and ideas. During the monthly all-hands meetings, the head of the company delivers his Kennedy-esque speeches, emphasizing the company's financial stability, highlighting its positive trajectory, and assuring employees that despite any adverse economic circumstances, there will be no layoffs - on the next day 3 people are dismissed.
Kollegenzusammenhalt
While I enjoyed collaborating with my colleagues, it was disheartening to witness a high turnover rate during my tenure. It seemed that individuals driven to accomplish great things did not remain with the company for long.
Work-Life-Balance
Quite ok until the stress / pressure caused from the investors is forwarded to the employees.
Vorgesetztenverhalten
The company lacks a clear vision and strategic plan. Priorities constantly fluctuate on a daily basis, and there is a lack of defined long-term goals. Throughout my career, I have encountered various situations, but the level of incompetence displayed by the company's leadership, combined with egomaniacal behavior, is unprecedented.
Interessante Aufgaben
The tasks offered were largely uninteresting, with a distinct lack of new feature development. The company has been stagnant for several years, showing little progress or innovation.
Gleichberechtigung
Nothing noticable to mention here.
Umgang mit älteren Kollegen
I heard some quite weird stuff, but I won't ellaborate further on that.
Arbeitsbedingungen
See section "Schlecht am Arbeitgeber finde ich"
Gehalt/Sozialleistungen
I would say the salary offered was aligned with the market standards. No further social benefits.
Image
The image is quite bad. Just have a chat with the customer support.
Karriere/Weiterbildung
Not much is done in that regard. Budgets are quite low.