Growing disconnect and trust issues between leadership and employees
Verbesserungsvorschläge
From my perspective, the company still has the potential to improve significantly. However, this would require leadership to listen more carefully to employee feedback, address criticism transparently, and use it constructively to rebuild trust and improve the working environment.
Arbeitsatmosphäre
One of the most noticeable changes in recent years has been the growing perception of distrust between leadership and employees. Many decisions seem to be driven by the assumption that employees are less productive when working remotely than when working from the office. As a result, office attendance requirements have increased while remote work flexibility has decreased. Officially, these changes are often framed as efforts to strengthen collaboration and social interaction. In practice, however, many employees feel that focused work has become more difficult than before.
Work-Life-Balance
A disconnect exists regarding working hours and flexibility. Although trust-based working hours are officially promoted, even modest schedule adjustments - such as starting one hour earlier and leaving one hour earlier - can be difficult to arrange despite being fully compatible with daily operational requirements. This creates the impression that flexibility depends more on managerial preference than on business needs.
Karriere/Weiterbildung
Professional development opportunities also appear limited for the majority of employees. While a small group receives support through programs such as the "Key Talent Program," many others report having little access to training opportunities, development budgets, or structured growth paths. Over time, this can create the feeling that investment in employee development is reserved for a selected minority rather than being encouraged across the wider organization.
Umgang mit älteren Kollegen
There are no older employees.
Vorgesetztenverhalten
Critical questions raised during all-hands meetings or roadshow formats often appear to go unanswered, which further contributes to a sense of distance between leadership and employees.
A growing emphasis on confidentiality around future plans has also become noticeable. Important organizational changes often seem to happen with little transparency beforehand, creating the impression that employees are informed only once decisions have already been finalized. This approach contributes significantly to uncertainty and makes it difficult to build trust in leadership decisions.
Arbeitsbedingungen
Privacy screens are being removed, office spaces are increasingly converted into large open-plan environments, and employees are placed in more densely occupied areas. While these measures may have operational justifications, they contribute to a feeling among some employees that visibility and oversight are becoming more important than creating productive working conditions.
The office situation itself has become a frequent source of frustration. In addition to larger open office layouts, a growing number of desks are being converted into flexible desk-sharing setups. While fixed desks still exist, the overall direction is clear. Many employees perceive this as a loss of individuality and personal ownership over their workspace. Combined with the shortage of meeting rooms, it often results in discussions and video calls taking place directly at desks, creating additional distractions for everyone around them.
Kommunikation
Not transparent at all. Confidentiality against its own employees seems to be a key principle. Emails announcing layoffs or organizational changes have become a recurring part of daily life. The impression is often created that workforce reductions are being implemented gradually through restructurings and role eliminations. What many employees find especially frustrating is the contrast between highly over-positive C-Level communication in company meetings and the reality that further layoffs or headcount reductions are communicated shortly afterward.
Gehalt/Benefits
There is a noticeable disconnect between the company's "pay-for-performance" messaging and how compensation decisions are perceived internally. The CPO frequently highlights performance-based compensation as a core principle. However, many employees feel that only a very small percentage of the workforce is realistically considered for salary increases, regardless of how broadly strong performance may have been across teams. This creates the perception that predefined quotas play a larger role than actual performance outcomes. As a result, the credibility of the "pay-for-performance" message has been weakened for many employees.
Gleichberechtigung
The company is divided into two classes: leadership and ordinary employees.
Interessante Aufgaben
Instead of providing a positive vision for the future, communication appears to focus primarily on cost reductions and organizational efficiency. For many employees, it has become increasingly difficult to understand where the company is heading and what precisely the long-term strategy looks like.