Blame Culture
There is little to no accountability. When issues arise, the focus shifts to avoiding blame rather than solving the problem. More time is spent managing perceptions with the founders than addressing what actually needs to be fixed.
Workplace Politics
Internal politics are deeply ingrained. Gossip is common, and individuals who choose not to participate are often mischaracterized. Even at the senior level, unhealthy competition and mistrust are prevalent. In an environment where toxicity is normalized, professionalism is often misunderstood or dismissed.
Rigid Work Expectations & Lack of Consideration for Tech Teams
Mandatory office attendance with little flexibility shows a lack of understanding of how different teams operate. What about engineers working late nights or weekends? What about support teams resolving critical issues during non-business hours? The blanket approach to "being seen" in office completely overlooks those who actually keep things running. It reinforces what many have long suspected—this was never a tech-first organization, and policies like this only prove it further.
Lack of Accountability and Ownership
New employees often join with short-term goals and minimal accountability, while long-term employees continue doing the heavy lifting—often at significantly lower compensation. Work is frequently delegated without clarity, and responsibility is rarely taken.
Unfair Practices in Hiring and Compensation
Internal employees are often underpaid compared to new hires, despite doing more work. Recruitment drives are scheduled without adequate notice, and follow-ups are poorly managed. Questions regarding hiring processes are often met with hostility from the recruitment manager rather than transparency. Plain silly!
Referral Process is Broken
Employees are encouraged to refer candidates, but there is no communication on status or outcomes. The process lacks transparency and consistency, making it one of the poorest referrals experiences I’ve seen. I refer candidates and then end up chasing for updates—it's become a running joke in my network.
Weak Tech Leadership
There is minimal accountability at the top, and decision-making is often reactive with no consistent strategic approach. It’s hard to expect otherwise when most initiatives seem to be led by ChatGPT—at times, it genuinely feels like AI could replace the leadership. While that may sound humorous, the real impact is on the team’s learning and long-term growth, which continues to suffer.
Unprofessional Behavior is Tolerated—and That Says Everything
People openly behave unprofessionally, fully aware that there will be no consequences. It has become normalized, and that’s deeply concerning. How can an organization allow this? And how can individuals continue to act this way, knowing it's unacceptable? At the end of the day, we are defined by what we tolerate—and this tolerance is setting the wrong standard for everyone.
Blaming Those Who’ve Left Has Become Convenient
In challenging situations, the default response is to shift blame onto someone who’s already left—easy, since they’re not around to defend themselves. Even in casual conversations, there’s a tendency to criticize former team members just to deflect from present issues or boost one’s own image. Is that the standard we’ve come to accept? It’s not okay.
Unclear Path for Growth
Career progression is often based on alliances, not merit. Those who engage in flattery, avoid work, and shift blame tend to rise faster than those who focus on delivery and integrity.