There is a lot to do, let's create an OKR first and wait
Gut am Arbeitgeber finde ich
Allianz has a diverse portfolio of projects that are structured uniquely. If one puts in significant effort, it is possible to acquire a wealth of knowledge and experience.
From my perspective, Allianz has made significant strides in refining its work processes.
At KXL, individuals have the opportunity to launch their own initiatives or participate in others that contribute to the betterment of the company or its employees.
Personal initiative is encouraged, subject to the discretion of one's line manager.
Schlecht am Arbeitgeber finde ich
The communication channels are inadequate, for example shows situations in which a designer is transferred to another team.
Furthermore, supervisors and directors tend to disregard the opinions of their subordinates and make decisions unilaterally, which often proves detrimental to the well-being of employees.
There is a significant bureaucratic bottleneck, e.g. hinders the progress of initiatives (due to OKRs - often only the formulation of the goals is worked on per sprint and not on the tasks).
As well as a lack of consideration for employees' strengths and weaknesses when assigning them to projects, which can lead to burnout and monotony.
It is imperative that everyone is treated equally and that promotions are based on performance, strengths and not proximity to management.
I would certainly have stayed longer if it weren't for these obvious disadvantages.
Verbesserungsvorschläge
It is vital to genuinely heed the voices of employees. Hiring and project placement should be based on an individual's strengths and weaknesses.
Line managers should embody empathy and prioritize their subordinates' wellbeing over their own career progression. Unfortunately, there are those in leadership positions who may excel at organizing but massively struggle with interpersonal communication.
Regrettably, there have been reports of a toxic work environment at KXL that have persisted since the tenure of the first director. I have personally encountered such a negative atmosphere.
Arbeitsatmosphäre
The atmosphere depends on the Allianz team you are assigned to, the manager you work under, and your proximity to management.
From my point of view, there is a strange atmosphere within the organization. In the agency, managers tend to present things in a very positive light. The corporate team also supports this by constantly decorating all appearances with new posters and the like.
Although everyone at Kaiser you should be careful when confiding in certain line managers and directors.
Kommunikation
Poor communication is a key aspect of the company, starting with management, supervisors, directors and managers.
Employees are often not heard when they make suggestions for improvement or try to report conflicts with the Allianz team.
When looking for solutions to certain problems, managers and supervisors often discuss behind the backs of those affected instead of communicating directly. This can lead to misunderstandings that can intentionally or unintentionally hinder professional development and training.
I personally experienced a case where a colleague resigned and was stripped of responsibility for the initiatives she was leading. However, her tasks were reassigned without consulting her, which was only communicated to her in front of the entire team. Unfortunately, this was not the only incident of this kind.
I find such behavior disrespectful.
Kollegenzusammenhalt
In the absence of superiors, there is remarkable cohesion among employees, who support one another to the best of their ability.
Work-Life-Balance
The workload you face depends on the projects you work on and your level of involvement in the company. Some weeks it can be more relaxed, other times you can feel overwhelmed with work. Unfortunately, managers often ignore employees who are overworked or don't have enough work.
Vorgesetztenverhalten
There are line manager who demonstrate openness and empathy, while others are self-centered and belittle their subordinates.
The poor communication with the Allianz teams regarding the transfer of designers very often led to rumors and a bad atmosphere among those involved. In some cases, information was only passed on to selected people, which led to confusion about the current status for others. This continued for years without anyone questioning it. This behavior was particularly widespread in Munich, where suggestions to bring everyone together and ensure everyone was kept informed of developments were repeatedly ignored.
Supervisors and directors often favor certain people who receive promotions without sufficient qualifications, while others do not receive promotions or salary increases for years despite excellent performance. Some colleagues can advance with minimal effort (e.g. from junior to director in three years), while others are overlooked despite their outstanding performance and commitment. However, there are also those who prioritize the well-being of their subordinates.
It seemed, the employees in Stuttgart and Frankfurt were treated better than in Munich.
Interessante Aufgaben
The nature of the tasks largely depends on the team. Certain teams encounter budget constraints that require a greater emphasis on developer work and bug fixing rather than UX work. As a result, you may have half a week of idle time. Conversely, some teams are highly innovative and driving significant UX advancements, but don't have the budget to hire additional designers.
Alternatively, designers may be assigned to two or three teams, each with a large workload, resulting in excessive workload for some individuals.
I had hoped that KXL would provide more support in this regard, for example by negotiating with another designer, but these requests remained unanswered.
Designers are often not placed into teams based on their performance and strengths, resulting in younger designers being placed into teams but requiring a much higher level of competence and adaptability. This can be overwhelming for many juniors. Conversely, senior designers are often assigned to teams that offer little challenge, undermining their potential.
Gleichberechtigung
There have been initiatives aimed at introducing a tiered pay system that ensures all colleagues receive appropriate remuneration. However, this was often cited as a reason why salary increases above the standard rate were not possible. Therefore, even if someone excels, their efforts may not be properly recognized. Conversely, average performance may result in a deduction from the bonus.
In my opinion, men and women were treated equally; However, I can't say anything about financial inequality between the genders.
Although some people are denied a raise, the opposite can also be true. There have been cases where people who were in close proximity to management received bonuses after having lunch with a manager.
Umgang mit älteren Kollegen
In my perspective, all colleagues were accorded equal treatment in this regard, except for a few who were favored. Age was not a factor.
Arbeitsbedingungen
When you sign up with KXL, you can expect to receive the latest laptop and software, as well as a cell phone if needed. However, working with the Alliance can be a bit complicated, as many communications programs are only accessible via a Ghost drive. Fortunately, this obstacle appears to have now largely been removed.
The KXL office has numerous flexible workstations, each equipped with a monitor, and employees also have an additional monitor available for their home office. In principle, you can also apply for other items, but they are often approved if they are not too unusual.
The Allianz also offers flexible workstations and monitors for every team. In my experience, the Allianz has made significant progress in implementing agile working methods, although some teams have regressed towards more rigid waterfall processes. Nevertheless, there is a strong sense of togetherness within the organization. As for Figma support, UX requests and other matters, I have no complaints; on the contrary, you notice how extraordinary the support was when leaving Allianz.
Umwelt-/Sozialbewusstsein
There have been efforts to improve both aspects, but in my estimation their impact has been modest.
Gehalt/Sozialleistungen
The current salary system is staggered and, in my opinion, is below average. Other companies offer better compensation, and when this is brought up, the employee often receives the snide response, “Then go there.” This implies that employees are not being prioritized.
As a result, attempts to negotiate a salary increase usually end in failure.
Even with commendable performance, there is a maximum annual salary increase of 3%, unless you are considered the favorite. There is also an annual bonus equal to the monthly gross salary. However, this bonus is performance-related, i.e. a good performance may result in a slightly higher bonus, while below-average performance may result in a deduction. In order to assess your own performance, stakeholders, team members, colleagues and other parties are surveyed in advance. Ultimately, I believe that the supervisor and the director have significant influence on the evaluation process.
Image
KXL places great emphasis on projecting a hip and chic image, especially to the public and Allianz.
This is most evident at the summer festivals, which are wonderful events that allow you to interact with colleagues you may not have seen in person for some time. Although my expectations weren't particularly high, I found it disheartening that a significant portion of resources are being spent on entertaining posters instead of investing in employees.
In recent years, KXL has undergone significant changes that have resulted in a significant increase in the number of employees.
This has led to the introduction of new levels such as line managers and the restructuring of work processes, resulting in rigidity. Unfortunately, this has resulted in some unintended consequences. Although KXL was once very flexible, an overwhelming amount of bureaucracy was introduced. While OKRs were intended to help structure initiatives, during my time in each OKR sprint (as directed by the director), more time was spent formulating goals than executing actual tasks, resulting in significant delays in progress. Crazy
Karriere/Weiterbildung
A budget is earmarked for employee training. Unfortunately, a significant number of employees are not aware of the amount and conditions, so they have to inquire about them themselves. The amount of training one receives depends heavily on the approval of one's supervisor. If they refuse approval, the funds will not be paid out or will be paid out with a significant delay, which happens very often.
Career advancement depends solely on the support of superiors. If you are favored by them, rapid advancement is possible. Conversely, opportunities for advancement are limited if superiors do not favor them despite their good performance.
This is often attributed to a lack of available positions, but it is not uncommon for the favorites to move up just a few months later.
Arbeitgeber-Kommentar
Dear Kaiser,
Thank you for taking the time to share your candid feedback here, which serves as an opportunity for us to reflect on our processes/practices and make improvements where necessary. We respect the time and experience of all our Kaisers, past and present, and it is unfortunate that you felt that way during your time as our employee.
Love to read that you appreciate the opportunities you were able to take while working for us.
It’s a fact that Kaiser X Labs has grown from 20 to 200 in the last 6 years. As you may imagine, during this time, we encountered many challenges and still do, but we truly make every effort to overcome them and work on them daily.
Our executives have been receiving continuous training since last year and they actively strive to improve their own leadership skills. They engage in knowledge sharing and receive support from the HR team. We have already internally discussed your feedback and will keep a close eye on the areas that still need improvement and we will drive them forward.
We apologize that we fell short in providing you with the support, resources and environment necessary for you to succeed and feel valued. One of the higher goals should always be that our existing employees enjoy working with us and experience appreciation and respect.
Since you are commenting on many other points here in this review, I would like to welcome you to have a one-on-one conversation with me or you may reach out to a trusted person of your choice, if there is still a chance to come together for solutions so that we may better understand each other.
I wish you all the best for your professional future.
With appreciation,
Fatima Çimşir
Junior Talent Acquisition Manager
Kaiser X Labs