Avoid at all costs.
Arbeitsatmosphäre
I didn't believe such a place could exist until I experienced it firsthand. It is, without a doubt, the worst workplace I have ever been a part of. The atmosphere is persistently tense and virtually devoid of any meaningful collaboration — and for good reason.
The company has a well-known policy of laying off 20% of its entire workforce twice a year. This creates a culture of constant fear and self-preservation, where employees are perpetually on edge. When job security is this precarious, genuine teamwork becomes nearly impossible as no one invests in theirs colleagues when they may be gone (or you may be gone) within months.
Work-Life-Balance
There isn't any. On my very first day, I arrived at 9am and didn't leave until 8pm — and only then because I decided to ask colleagues if they were heading out soon.
In my entire year at Trade Republic, I never worked less than 10–12 hours a day, with days regularly stretching to 14. When I asked about it, I was told this was completely normal and expected. My skip-level manager would routinely send messages on weekends and in the middle of the night.
Karriere/Weiterbildung
Progression at Trade Republic has little to do with merit. It quickly becomes clear that managers are in their positions simply because they've been there longer — not because of any particular skill or intelligence. There is also a striking pattern: leadership skews heavily male and German, and diversity of thought is rarely reflected at the top.
The company largely hires and promotes "yes men." What advances your career here isn't ideas or ability — it's how many hours you can grind and how effectively you can please those above you. Original thinking isn't just undervalued; it's quietly discouraged.