Pros
Some of the smartest people and engineers and EM's I've ever worked with are here and the engineering org works well together. Primer hires bright people (before grinding them down) Some positive steps forward with the culture mainly driven by the employees, people team and new values that are balanced and encourage the right things (sadly rarely lived or referenced by leaders) I do work that feels meaningful Reorg is somewhat exciting and needed, has been well managed despite the complexity I got a 3% raise and simaltaneously told that the work is going to be harder, more intense, faster than ever. I'll probably get another 1-3% raise next year. They sure know how to spoil and recognise you while demanding 'the best' and 'innovation' and 'impact' (all the leaders probably got more than this which is why they tout it so much)
Cons
Unsafe. It's easy to get a target on your back from the most senior managers In 15 years this is the first company I have ever worked where the CEO can't even bring themselves to say a sincere thank you for all of the hard work and efforts on a Townhall and instead just demands that we have to do more, be quicker, be better without outlining or disclosing how they will be in this with us, or how they will be directing the company to create conditions to allow for that. He does not care about us. We are worker bees. CFO shares this sentiment. Extract as much as you can from people and when they have nothing left to give their value is zero. This is the first company I have ever worked for where celebrating success and recognising people is led by employees and treated as a checkbox by executives and some senior leaders. This is the first company I have ever worked where it feels like the executives are suspicious of me and our work and approach in opposition rather than in collaboration and support. This is the first company I have ever worked for where my colleagues (and many of them) suddenly disappear one day with vague explanation. This is the first company I have ever worked where more of my colleagues are looking to leave rather than stay because of these things. My direct manager is good but that doesn't matter because he ultimately has no power if the executives have a thought about things. Work life balance is BAD and a shame and embarrassment for this company. Every senior leader is guilty of creating an unhealthy relationship with work and setting a toxic bar and most of the time it isn't even a desire to do hard work for Primer. It's an open secret that it's due to unrealistic deadlines and fear of reprisals from execs. If you don't want to compromise on your family life or if you have a health condition or if you have less to give than your optimum right now or value a life outside of work please stay away from Primer this place will not be good for you and you will not be rewarded or recognised unless you are putting in 60-80+ hours per week. I see some of those with children/families being in this position and personally deprioritising my kids for another 20-30 hour work week at Primer with no recognition and an exec team that is mostly passive or negative towards you isn't for me. What's worse is you will work all these extra hours and the only people who will credit you are your colleagues and peers. No leader has ever thanked me for this. Exec can be inflammatory and aggressive in interactions and can make a good day where you're feeling great about work and wanting to push yourself to do more turn to terrible. I'm the most demotivated and lose all of my desire to push myself after these interactions. Biggest killer of productivity is the CEO's attitude.
