A masterclass in irony where people are disposable
Pros
* Remote-first: Yes 100% remote work offers flexibility, but don't expect much support in navigating the challenges that come with it. Facetime still matters, and if you're not in the right location (i.e.: Sydney), you'll be on the outside looking in. * Too good to be true: Employment Hero talks a big game about being a disruptor in the “world of work” for people everywhere. It's a great way to attract talent, but don't be fooled by the marketing. Scratch the surface, and there’s little substance, just questionable practices to do whatever it takes to win. * Talented (but transient) colleagues: You'll work with some incredibly smart and motivated people with great pedigrees from big tech. Ironically it doesn’t mean much as management just steam rolls them rather than leaning into their experience, skill sets and insights. It's too bad most of them either burn out, get pushed out, or jump ship before you can really get to know them.
Cons
Leadership * Strategic whiplash: The company is allergic to the word "pivot," but in reality, it's lurching from one knee-jerk reaction or new big thing, to another. There's no real strategy, just way to many OKRs to focus on and the latest "big idea" from the top. * Elon Musk fan club: You have to pretend to worship Elon Musk. Be prepared to embrace the "move fast and break things" mentality, even if those things include your colleagues and your own well-being. * Don't ask, don't tell: If you’d like to keep your paycheck, avoid questioning anything, providing constructive feedback, or raising concerns and rather get used to keeping your head down and going with the flow. * Rife with favouritism/nepotism: Some in leadership positions seem to be there because of who they know, not what they know. Expect inconsistent management styles, micromanagement for inexperienced people leaders who can't handle the chaos, and a whole lot of "just get on with it." * Revolving door: People seem to disappear as quickly as they arrive. It makes you wonder what's really going on behind the scenes. Culture * Disposable people: For a company that claims to champion employee rights, Employment Hero sure seems to treat its own employees as expendable. You're just a cog in the machine, easily replaced if you are labelled as too negative, rocking the boat or not a team player...simply from raising red flags or asking questions. * Busy not productive: Don't get too attached to any project or initiative. Just when you start to make progress, you'll be pulled off to chase the next shiny object. Nothing of substance ever seems to get finished, leaving a trail of unfinished work, tech debt and frustrated employees. * Burn-out: People burnout or get pushed out and you won't hear about resignations; you'll just stumble upon a "deactivated" slack account. * "Apolitical" as a Cop-out: Employment Hero claims to be "apolitical," but this seems to be a convenient way to avoid addressing important issues like gender equality. They even canceled an International Women's Day initiative because it might create "unnecessary division." It's absurd to think that ignoring IWD is a path to equality. A truly inclusive workplace actively promotes and celebrates diversity, not pretends it doesn't exist. This lack of transparency extends to the gender pay gap; where "apolitical" seems incredibly convenient to avoid disclosing any potentially uncomfortable truths about their own pay practices. *VC funding crunch: Having completed a series F, they'll need to turn a profit soon to keep the VCs happy. Expect mass layoffs just as they've done recently cutting the Southeast Asia workforce, suggesting a focus on cost reduction. Product * Product rules: The product team reigns supreme, often dictating priorities and timelines with little regard for other departments or customer needs. In fact, this is encouraged by management! * Black box development: Good luck figuring out what the product team is working on. There's no transparency, no roadmap, just a constant stream of releases that leave everyone scrambling to catch up. * Unhealthy and unnecessary tension: Product's mandate is to increase velocity and to make it marketing’s problem to articulate and monetise the value. Conversely, marketing’s mandate is to sell the product aspiration and make it the product's problem to deliver. Management believe this tension is healthy whereas in reality it means: 1) product is building whatever it wants 2) brand is selling a dream that never eventuates 3) marketing is constantly reacting to releases post-launch to try make sense of it for customers and 4) customers are caught in the middle, fed up with overpromises and under-delivery. * Smoke & mirrors: The software is mediocre at best, a Frankensteinian mess of legacy code and integrations pretending to be a revolutionary two-sided marketplace that’s first to market in a new software category. Nothing about it is revolutionary or first to market and competitors are easily doing it better, faster and smarter. * Broken promises: Customers are catching on to the fact they’re not heard or listened to. There is basic functionality they seek that isn’t delivered because product prefer to focus on bells and whistles than core experience issues. Checkout any software review sites to see what customers really think. "Perks" * Remote exploitation: Sure, you can work from anywhere, but be prepared to be "on" all the time. And don't expect your salary to reflect the extra hours and increased costs of working from home. * Party over pay: The annual Global Gathering is meant to be a reward, but a few days of partying can't make up for a year of dysfunctional leadership, a toxic culture, and questionable ethics. It's a shallow attempt to paper over the cracks, and many employees would probably prefer to see that money invested in better pay, improved working conditions, or some leadership training/executive coaching. * Compensation: Performance reviews are inconsistent and the process for pay rises is not transparent or openly communicated. Some people seem to get rewarded, while others are left wondering if they'll get a annual CPI adjustment never mind a raise. * Job Insecurity: With a 6 month probationary period and no redundancy protection, you're always one bad day away from being out of a job. Ethics * Ethical gray areas: Leadership's attitude towards ethics seems to be "the end justifies the means." You're discouraged from seeking legal advice internally, likely to avoid scrutiny on undesirable practices. * Controlled exists: When senior people leave, it's like they're silenced. When I've reached out to those who have left quickly, and who I've had previous working relationships with, they side-step any conversation about the place. It makes you wonder what they got in exchange for their silence? What they may have signed? And what they're being paid to keep quiet about?! * Peer pressure: All those 5-star reviews with barely enough minimum characters needed to submit? Some might be legit, but management peer pressure staff to write positive ones to bury the negative ones and drive up the average. If you really want to hear the honest truth about working there, sort by lowest to highest.
