A great start with an unfortunate ending
Arbeitsatmosphäre
The work atmosphere started off well but declined rapidly after a year. The Munich-based team, except for some management members, grew very close and still enjoys working together. However, the team was significantly reduced after staff had to be hired in another cheaper country. The department head was more often that not absent, leaving only a few team members in the office, sometimes just two of us. As pressure and stress increased, the atmosphere became tense, with other departments eavesdropping on our conversations. Certain employees who were eavesdropping were known to be close to the leadership. Anonymous company-wide surveys were offered, but due to the team's small size, it was hard to be truly honest without being identifiable. If opinions were expressed anonymously or directly, we were told that our attitudes needed to change and nothing else.
These are just a few examples that would translate the bad working atmosphere.
Kommunikation
When I was hired, I expected to work for Holidu, but it turned out I was actually hired for Bookiply, a different part of the company. While leadership made efforts to be transparent and honest, the real issues lay within the CS department.
For example, employees who didn’t have weekend work in their contracts were still expected to work weekends when the other team traveled to Munich for an office party. No one informed these employees in advance; it only became official after they raised the issue.
After the Director was hired, weekly meetings became filled with vague responses and corporate jargon, with a clear patronizing tone toward staff questions. White lies were common, with employees being made to appear "off sick" for days following their dismissal, which was framed as a mutual agreement. Meanwhile, those dismissed for misconduct received a company-wide farewell, whereas employees let go for expressing their opinions were immediately isolated and told to stop working on the same day.
Kollegenzusammenhalt
The Munich team in the CS department trained the staff hired at the new office. Quickly, the attention shifted entirely to the new team, emphasizing quantity over quality. While many individual members were still respected and appreciated, the focus on rapidly hiring a cheaper workforce created a divide between the two offices. The Munich team was left with Team Leads who weren’t even in the same country. Seniority lost its value, and team members began reporting on each other.
The other team rarely voiced their opinions openly, yet the Munich team was perceived as the one always expressing discontent. This led to a situation where we had to start asking questions on Slido with our names attached, to prove that the "harsh and aggressive" questions weren’t coming from us.
Work-Life-Balance
Maintaining a good work-life balance was difficult when work consumed your thoughts due to demanding targets and passive-aggressive management. With inflation and low pay, it felt more like a struggle for work-survival balance.
Vorgesetztenverhalten
My first supervisor was excellent; she genuinely motivated me and encouraged me to improve. Her personal touch created a strong bond and trust between us. My second supervisor, however, frequently rescheduled our 1:1s and advised me to stop venting, saying it would make my life easier.
The third supervisor noticed my struggles but offered no clear solutions, instead suggesting I watch someone I had trained do the work I had taught her. I eventually found my own way to meet targets, but when she let me go, she didn’t say a word during the meeting.
Interessante Aufgaben
It was fascinating to do work for other departments for free—I really got to relive my student days, learning so much without any compensation. Meanwhile, any extra tasks that might actually benefit the department itself? Those were promptly shut down.
Gleichberechtigung
No company truly practices "equality," as there will always be a hierarchy—there wouldn’t be CEOs, cleaners, or highly paid underperforming employees otherwise. This is true at Holidu as well. Absolute equality isn’t achievable because everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, though that doesn't mean they aren't valuable. True equality is unrealistic, but fair treatment is essential.
At Holidu, I believe the issue isn’t about gender equality but rather about how employees are treated based on qualifications. The head of the CS department remains in place, while many loyal and capable staff members have been let go. A Director was hired to oversee the department, supposedly to reduce costs and address issues, yet the head of the department, who has been central to many of these issues, has not been removed.
The real inequality at Holidu lies in how team members are treated for expressing their opinions. Those who voiced concerns were dismissed, which highlights the company’s lack of true fairness.
Umgang mit älteren Kollegen
I wish there were more experienced colleagues. The company often feels like a glorified kindergarten, with many young employees spending their days chatting about cats, weight loss, or playing kicker a bit too often.
In contrast, time spent with older staff was far more valuable, both mentally and professionally.
Arbeitsbedingungen
Physically, the working conditions are good.
It was great to be able to work from home and other countries.
Umwelt-/Sozialbewusstsein
It’s still difficult to reconcile the idea of a travel-focused company claiming to have a positive impact on the environment while flying 500 employees to the main office for a company party. That hardly aligns with the environmental values the company so strongly promotes. Within the office, there's nothing groundbreaking—just the standard recycling bins.
Over the past few years, the concept of social awareness has shifted from hiring based on qualifications and potential to forming a DEI team, reflecting the trend of focusing on everything but a candidate's actual abilities. The company claims to promote diversity, but only if it aligns with a single mindset, forgetting the true meaning of diversity.
Gehalt/Sozialleistungen
In the customer service department, the salary does not reflect the work and hours put in. The company justified the pay by comparing it to basic CS roles, but at Holidu, the job involves much more—encompassing Sales, Account Management, Accounting, Tech, and Product.
Targets were set so high that many team members stayed late daily out of fear of not meeting them. Despite the significant effort from each team member, there were no bonuses, no overtime, no 13th-month pay, and only a 2% raise for "Exceeded Expectations" during the annual review.
Image
The company is focused on creating a perfect image through a cringy Instagram presence, flashy merchandise, and trendy designs. However, the reality is different. Many staff members don’t realize that office snacks and free coffee don’t actually equate to an ideal workplace.
Karriere/Weiterbildung
The best way to move up or be successful is to keep your opinions to yourself and make friends with important people. Hard work is not rewarded. We did get a t-shirt and the best performers got a mug after a painful high-season. That made everything better.