Pros
While I can acknowledge the flexibility Ontra offers, the overall experience has been far from positive. There are several glaring issues that overshadow any potential advantages, making it difficult to recommend this workplace to others.
Cons
It becomes apparent early on that transparency and fairness, which were promised upfront, are nothing but empty words. Despite being quoted a specific compensation upon accepting the position, the actual earnings fell far short, and there was no effort to rectify this discrepancy. The disparity in salaries between employees at different levels, even when their job responsibilities are identical, is a major concern. The company avoids addressing these glaring discrepancies and crucial employee questions, such as the absence of a 401k match, during company-wide meetings. Management's response to salary adjustments has been nothing short of a constant stream of excuses. Despite initial claims that salaries were "above market" or competitive, these assertions fail to acknowledge the impact of inflation over time. What might have seemed like a favorable salary upon joining the company loses its advantage as the cost of living increases. In reality, employees are now faced with a disheartening choice, realizing that despite the excuses provided, they are effectively experiencing a salary reduction of over 10% due to the soaring cost of living. On top of the favoritism and broken promises, another disillusioning aspect of working at this company was the current lack of promotion opportunities. During the hiring process, they boasted about a high likelihood of upward mobility within a year, creating a sense of optimism among new employees. However, as time went on, it became evident that these promises were nothing more than empty assurances. The path to advancement has been riddled with obstacles. The lack of career growth opportunities and the feeling of being stuck in the same role for an extended period has added to the growing dissatisfaction with the company's management and their lack of commitment to their own promises. The most significant problem within this company is the rampant favoritism displayed by higher-ups. The issue of favoritism extends to the leadership team, where it is evident that many members of the c-suite surround themselves with friends. Consequently, any problems or concerns are either ignored or inadequately addressed, further contributing to a toxic work environment. Attempts to raise concerns to people partners about favoritism or any other issues proved futile, as they merely took note of the problem without offering any resolution. The lack of accountability and disregard for employee feedback further exacerbated the discontent. One incident that particularly highlighted the lack of accountability within the company was when a leader used a slur during a weekly team meeting. The company took an unreasonably long time to issue an apology, which, when it finally came, felt insincere and failed to hold the leader accountable for their behavior.
