Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team Reviews

Hot was once a wonderful organization. However, over the past two years, with the change in leadership (Director) and the new operating mode, Hot has taken a path of uncertainty and created an atmosphere of insecurity for its employees. Hot has encouraged many of its workers to resign voluntarily and has laid off others. Under the new mode of operation, some senior managers have been taking advantage, delighting in appropriating the roles and responsibilities of other employees to self-glorify and create the impression that they are working harder, all to attract the attention of the directors. This has led to disorder and a lack of vision from the leadership team, who are making decisions without thorough analysis.HOT is turning into a friends and family club.

After receiving a large sum of money a few years ago, there was no plan on how to actually spend it. Many of the staff with the experience of HOT were pushed out over the last few years, and on top of biased hiring/layoffs, now most staff don't have the background needed. Leadership recently massively cut budgets and staff, but protected their own. Now more than half the org is new and either in support or management roles. But they don't know what to do so talk in circles and use localisation as an excuse not to give anybody clear roles or direction. HOT is the hardest place I have ever worked to get work done. Upper management doesn't manage the work, leaving everybody else to manage themselves, manage up, AND do their work. There is no direction or long term planning. If you have traditional privilege, this might not be a problem as your work will get visibility naturally and you can do whatever you want. But for most, you have to keep fighting for your work.