Red Flag, Toxic Tech Department, Fake “Fast Pace” = No Work Life Balance
Pros
The salary and benefits are decent, and the tech stack is relatively modern compared to some other companies. A few colleagues at the working level are great people to work with, which makes the day-to-day slightly more bearable. Occasionally, management does allocate budget for team building activities, so there are rare moments of reprieve from the grind.
Cons
The reality of working here far outweighs the minor perks. The tech department is run by a young and inexperienced CTO who thrives on political games rather than leadership. What he markets as a “fast pace environment” is simply a cover for stripping away any sense of work life balance. Employees are treated as if they belong to the company around the clock. Calls can and will come in at any hour, including during Friday prayers, and pushing back often leads to being scolded. Religious obligations, personal health, and family time are routinely ignored. Career progression is a joke. KPIs are capped to prevent genuine recognition, promotions are blocked, and favoritism is rampant. Hard work counts for nothing unless you play politics and know how to flatter the right people, because the leadership style leans heavily towards “China culture.” Honest feedback isn’t tolerated, surveys are not truly anonymous, and employees who dare to speak up often find themselves targeted. The removal of hybrid work and turning WFH into a near-impossible “incentive” destroyed morale even further. In practice, if management doesn’t accept your justification to work remotely, you’re forced to take leave. The workload is crushing. Unpaid overtime is the norm, projects are chronically delayed due to burnout and rework, and the backend systems are so messy and fragile that even employees question whether the eWallet is safe. Many of the strongest talents have already left, leaving those who remain to drown in chaos. On top of this, the company uses shady retention tactics like employment bonds tied to bonuses. Refuse to sign, and you’re branded as “high risk” and guilt-tripped by HR and even the CEO. The CTO has openly said he wants to hire 150 more tech staff this year, but blames the market for not producing enough “talent.” The truth is obvious to anyone inside: people leave because of his leadership style, not because there aren’t good engineers out there. Unless you’re prepared to sacrifice your health, family, and sanity, you should avoid the tech department at all costs.
