Persistent issues in the IT department – my experience mirrors recent reviews
Gut am Arbeitgeber finde ich
Occasional interesting technical challenges.
Autonomy in day-to-day work organisation.
Working in a high demand and fast paced environment.
Schlecht am Arbeitgeber finde ich
I am writing this review now because the one I posted 5 years ago was then removed. Recently, I noticed two new reviews mentioning similar issues in the IT department and its leadership. This confirms my experience was not an isolated case, but part of an ongoing pattern.
Multiple instances of harassment and discrimination were reported but not addressed.
Lack of support from HR and management – concerns were minimised or ignored.
No recognition of contributions, while minor errors were disproportionately highlighted.
Favouritism: colleagues with lower performance received substantial raises, while high-performing staff received none.
My continued employment was never officially communicated, which created ongoing uncertainty and undermined credibility.
Only one performance review in two years, which was negative; no regular 1:1 meetings with my manager.
Verbesserungsvorschläge
Implement and enforce a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and discrimination, regardless of position or seniority.
Introduce regular, structured performance reviews and feedback sessions.
Ensure a transparent and equitable salary and bonus structure.
Foster a respectful, professional work culture at all levels, especially in leadership.
Improve resource planning to prevent chronic overwork and burnout.
Arbeitsatmosphäre
Marked by disrespect, exclusion, and lack of accountability. Achievements were ignored, minor issues magnified, and favouritism prevailed. Speaking up led to isolation and eventual dismissal.
Work-Life-Balance
Despite repeatedly requesting time off over many months, I was denied vacation until after 10 months - while being a single mother to a 4 and a 6 year old. Strangely, I was often told I “had no idea” about my job, yet was still considered too essential to take leave. Service hours were extended without pay adjustment, and I was told to work overtime to justify hiring another engineer.
Umwelt-/Sozialbewusstsein
Some hardware was donated, which was positive. However, excessive purchasing due to insufficient testing led to redundant, low-quality, or incompatible equipment, resulting in significant material waste and unnecessary personnel effort.
Karriere/Weiterbildung
Strengths were not developed; instead, all team members were expected to cover all tasks, which reduced quality and morale. I was never given real authority, yet in one conversation my manager shouted at me that I would never take over his job — something I had neither expressed nor intended — illustrating misplaced priorities rather than a focus on professional development.
Kollegenzusammenhalt
Limited collaboration and trust. Instances of workplace bullying were tolerated, and many chose to align with management rather than address issues directly. Clear favouritism which led to a hostile atmosphere.
Vorgesetztenverhalten
Tense atmosphere during management presence, with little open communication to the full team. Decisions were often made without discussion and sometimes lacked clear reasoning. Despite general flexibility in organising work, there was micromanagement on minor issues, public criticism, minimal appreciation, and little constructive conflict resolution. It was mentioned to me that a female colleague had left after three months due to similar behaviour. I was also told directly that these issues “would not exist” if a man had been hired. In one conversation, I asked whether the department was being run like a “sheltered workshop,” and the response was simply “yes,” which reflected the lack of business-focused decision-making. On several occasions, raising legitimate concerns made me feel as though I was the problem. This included informing management about operational issues and even security-relevant matters — such as a colleague privately selling company hardware — which should have been documented but were not. Such responses discouraged transparency and undermined trust within the team.
Arbeitsbedingungen
I cannot comment on the current situation, but during my time, benefits were gradually reduced. Workload was often high due to mismanagement, and resources were rarely allocated efficiently.
Kommunikation
Key information was often withheld or delayed, and feedback was inconsistent or absent. Critical reports were sometimes ignored, leading to unresolved errors that were not prioritised in time. This caused avoidable outages and extra work, negatively impacting productivity company wide.
Gehalt/Benefits
Above average pay.
Gleichberechtigung
Discriminatory comments based on gender, age, religion, ethnicity and private life. Male colleagues’ misconduct was tolerated while I was treated differently - Despite having my gender questioned on a regular basis.
During my time, I experienced repeated harassment, including inappropriate personal comments and questions. In one case, after reporting an incident, I was asked if I wanted to fire the colleague involved — an employee who was dismissed a few months later — which felt like an attempt to have me carry out management’s decision. In another instance, a senior partner made a sexual remark; when reported, management excused it on the basis of his personal circumstances. When I raised these issues with HR, I was told “der Fisch stinkt am Kopf” and that it was “no wonder” considering the way I dressed — despite wearing conservative, all-black professional clothing.
Interessante Aufgaben
I enjoyed my core responsibilities and would not have stayed for two years otherwise. The role offered significant autonomy, though this also meant that contributions were often not visible or acknowledged.