Managed Like a Daycare - Anonymous, Engineering Electra Employee Review

1.0
2 Nov 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There are some very capable and committed people at Electra, and there are microenviroments that have a positive culture.

Cons

The CEO and CTO at this company act as though they have all the answers, when in reality they are both in way over their heads. This company will continue to flounder until they step down. Electra now has over 120 employees, but you will find that everyone's efforts are micromanaged by the CEO and CTO. There are some very real problems with Electra's tech and process, and the engineers and leaders that have tried to address them or bring them to light have all been shunned or walked out the door. The lack of experience and micromanagement from C-Suite mean that the company's focus swings in completely different directions week by week - and as a result very little technical progress can actually be made. Just like in a daycare, managers have zero input on the direction of the company or their team. It's all about whatever the CEO and CTO are stressed about on a given day. If anything gets wrong, the CEO and CTO will gaslight and point fingers. I have never once seen them take responsibility for their mistakes. The company has hired leaders with far more experience than the CEO and CTO, but they aren't given any of the freedom or trust they'd need to make an impact. If you're fresh out of school and looking to get some industry experience, Electra might be fine. If you have any amount of management or engineering experience - proceed with extreme caution. Perhaps worse than all of this - the company mocks it's competitors internally and ignores the fact that they likely have a superior product. The fact is, the competition has been more agile and has properly analyzed the market. Unless big changes are made, Electra's tech will simply be eclipsed by their far-superior competitors.

Explore other reviews about Electra

5.0
25 Jun 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Strong, mission-driven culture with a clear direction and innovative mindset Opportunities to take ownership and make a meaningful impact Collaborative team environment with supportive colleagues Exposure to new technologies and processes that help build skills Leadership is approachable and open to feedback (in many cases) Fast-paced environment can accelerate learning and career growth

Cons

Growing company, processes and structure can feel undefined at times Workload can be demanding, especially during busy periods Some inconsistency in communication across teams or leadership levels Career progression paths may not always be clearly defined Occasional shifts in priorities can create uncertainty Benefits/compensation may not always keep pace with expectations in the market

2.0
12 Mar 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Amazing benefits: no health insurance premium for base, good eye/dental, 401k with 6% matching, reasonable use PTO for salary. - Good pay for area (starting to fall off though). - Fun events (though see "cons" section). - A good place for an entry-level engineer or scientist or get experience.

Cons

Over the years, the mission and culture have changed for the worst, as encouraged by the executive team, particularly their newest members. Electra used to want to save the planet, but have sacrificed their noble path for (you guessed it) money. As such, the executive team keeps making terrible decision after terrible decision with no regards for the company's former morals. Not only has this affected the technology, but the culture as well. The executive team makes no secret of looking down at the rest of the company, really truly believing they are the "rock stars" and everyone, even engineers and scientists, should aspire to their station. With this comes sudden firings and layoffs to anyone that threatens their or the directors' egos (and watch out, because there's three directors for every non-leadership role). Question the viability? Gone. Really good at your job? Gone. Suddenly not part of the "vision" that changes at a whim? Gone. I've seen some very talented, hardworking people let go for the silliest reasons during my tenure here. In return, who's left get run absolutely ragged. Watching young people go from eager and energetic to zombified inside is heartbreaking.

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