Pros
No pros, the past year has nosedived.
Cons
Declining Work/Life Balance: The work/life balance and overall culture have deteriorated over the past year. Upper management's attempts to enforce a new culture haven't been well-received, and concerns or constructive feedback often go unaddressed. San Mateo Office Focus: There's a heavy emphasis on the San Mateo office, leading to an unspoken understanding to operate like a frugal startup while simultaneously investing in costly new initiatives. Return to Office Challenges: The mandatory Return to Office policy is poorly executed, with inconsistent enforcement and numerous exceptions, leading to confusion and frustration especially when there are 3 offices and numerous remote staff. Just allow everyone to be remote if they wish or have a single collaboration day per week where everyone visits the offices. Excessive Bureaucracy: Despite being likened to a startup, the company is burdened with excessive red tape, making it feel more like a large corporate entity simultaneously. New Slack Policy: The recent changes to the Slack policy have hindered open communication, negatively impacting team collaboration and discussion. Stagnant Career Growth: There's a noticeable lack of title changes and minimal salary increases within the technology department, even after layoffs and meeting directive support initiatives. There is also a ceiling to career progression. Off-Hours Reading: Ambiguous reading requirements are implied to be completed during personal time to support the culture, adding to employees' workloads. Communication Issues: Poor communication between teams, from upper management, and among management levels leads to frustration and delays in project delivery. Uneven Accountability: Individual contributors face severe consequences for poor communication, while managers do not experience the same level of accountability, creating a sense of unfairness.