Somewhat above-average tech company - Software Engineer Thought Machine Employee Review

3.0
27 Apr 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Cutting edge tech stack. Great benefits. Bonus for coming in 4 days a week instead of 3. Lots of (optional) socials.

Cons

Work schedule is 8 hours per day, exclusive of lunch, 5 days per week. Majority of top-level management are “male, pale and stale”. Yes, unfortunately this is not unusual in tech. There have been efforts to make it less so with some token hires, perhaps because an article from a few years back pointed out the homogeneity of the C-suite, but interestingly those hires did not stay with the company for very long. In engineering, there is a poor male-female ratio and a worrying female attrition rate. The company’s response to this is to turn a blind eye to why many women leave and channel more women into the hiring pipeline. It seems irresponsible to bring in people, especially those who are more likely to have experienced discrimination, into an organisation that does not have a culture of inclusion. They will just leave again anyway. There are diversity groups and various initiatives, but they are mostly performative tools used by some to get promoted.

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Thought Machine Response
4y
We're so glad you're engaged with our technology, and are bought into our mission of delivering the best product in the banking technology market. We will always make this a key focus area for Thought Machine – the quality of the software we build, our commitment to product excellence, and supporting all of our talented engineers who work in London. With your support we're pushing the boundaries of our banking technology even further. We are dedicated to improving the gender imbalance in the banking and technology industry – as well as at Thought Machine. We are taking proactive measures to ensure women at Thought Machine can thrive in their careers and receive equal opportunities to men. We have set up a women's working group, have introduced a career mentorship program and are actively trying to recruit more women to join Thought Machine.

Explore other reviews about Thought Machine

5.0
15 Jan 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

good culture and interesting problems

Cons

keep up the good work

2.0
6 Nov 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

My manager and team were awesome, the culture is friendly but that's the main bright spot here.

Cons

The C-suite's recruitment strategy in expanding the team across the US, North, and South America seemed promising at first. However, they ended up letting many of us go right before the one-year mark, despite the inherent complexities of our product and sales efforts. The deal maturity and sales cycle are notably long, especially when dealing with core product replacements in the banking industry, which are time-consuming, expensive, and complex due to the transition from legacy systems to modernized cloud architecture. While several factors have contributed to the company's situation, it's important to note that the company is well-funded. At the beginning of the year, we were assured that there was enough cash in the bank to sustain us for a few years. However, we were recently informed that our investors are dissatisfied and want their money back. Many of us were actively engaged in our roles, supporting key commercial team reps who were driving significant momentum headed into 2024. It is indeed unprofessional and unjust to lead us to this point and then abruptly let us go. What truly exacerbated the situation was the timing of these layoffs, just days before our shares vested. This is not only unethical but also contradictory to the company's stated values and work policies. The actions of the leadership have eroded trust, and it's advisable to exercise caution and consider other options.

17
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Thought Machine Response
2y
Thank you for sharing your feedback. The decision to let go of team members is always challenging, and we acknowledge the personal impact this has had on you. Looking ahead to the new year, we're pleased to confirm strong investor support and positive company performance. With our organisational structure now in place, there are no further plans for headcount reductions. We are pleased to hear that you found the company environment friendly and that you had a positive experience with your supportive manager, as we believe our company culture is one of our greatest assets.
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