Micromanagers run the show, but no one's winning.
Gut am Arbeitgeber finde ich
- My core team
- I believe in the founders and their vision
- Products
- Being flexible
Schlecht am Arbeitgeber finde ich
- Micromanaging.
- People forget why they hired experts - listen to them and stop questioning every step they take.
- Despite the company’s value of 'Co-Creation,' discussing mistakes openly and finding solutions isn’t encouraged. People get called out for raising issues in public channels. Even if it’s necessary. I’ve seen it happen. Someone flags a problem, and instead of supporting transparency, they get called out, even though the teams welcomed it.
Verbesserungsvorschläge
- Challenge who’s been made director.
- Stop this micromanaging but question some of the "key" outcomes.
- Sort out holiday/sick leave coverage for longer absences or offer a "silent mode" for anyone dealing with family issues, mental health struggles, or needs focus time.
Arbeitsatmosphäre
In the core team, things work. In the larger group, it’s tense and stressful. People are constantly trying to stay informed, but it’s mostly frustration. Too much noise, not enough clarity. The mood is drained, and it shows.
Kommunikation
There is no central communication. Instead, there are endless side chats because people are afraid to speak openly about challenges or mistakes. Important information constantly gets lost in the depths of project management tools. It’s a guessing game.
Kollegenzusammenhalt
Within my team, people support each other. But I’ve seen managers talk badly about their own team members or throw them under the bus in public.
Work-Life-Balance
This is where you have the most control. Working hours and location are fairly flexible. for now. But HR is slowly tightening the rules. For a “remote-first” international company, where many employees have family and friends abroad, requiring at least 50% of annual leave to be planned by the end of Q1 makes no sense. It kills flexibility for flight deals or family schedules.
Vorgesetztenverhalten
As mentioned, managers throw people under the bus. In general, many leaders set a bad example. Poor meeting structure, constant lateness, and zero preparation. The "strategy" some of these leaders present is embarrassing. Mostly AI-generated, which doesn’t fit the company or the team, but as long as it looks good on paper and has some flashy images, that's all they care about.
Interessante Aufgaben
The tasks and challenges are interesting, no question. But there’s never enough time to actually get them done right.
Gleichberechtigung
There’s no real push for equality here. Salary bands aren’t transparent, and employees have no idea where they stand. How’s that supposed to work? Sure, there are a lot of women in the company, but fewer are in the key decision-making roles. It’s no different from any other traditional company.
Umgang mit älteren Kollegen
No issues, but nothing to praise either. It’s neutral, no real difference made.
Arbeitsbedingungen
Too many complex projects with not enough time to get them done right. On top of that, some project owners are unreachable for weeks. As mentioned, some managers kill the team spirit, and I’ve seen a few people really struggle because of it.
Umwelt-/Sozialbewusstsein
No issues, but nothing to praise either. It’s neutral, no real difference made.
Gehalt/Benefits
They publicly claim to offer "top pay," but in reality, only a few individuals are paid above average. From what I know, salaries are more in line with standard startup rates. Given the company’s size now, this needs to be adjusted upwards, otherwise, they’ll lose their "A-players" soon.
Image
Given how large the brand team is, a lot of focus is placed on image. The company would be better off, though, if that image was built authentically - through good leadership, honesty, transparency, and solid foundations.
Karriere/Weiterbildung
Don’t come if you have growth ambitions beyond your current role. The leadership team prefers to hire “new knowledge” from outside rather than promote from within. You can see this in how and who gets promoted, and also in the fact that job openings aren’t posted or offered internally - even when team members have expressed their ambitions.