Pros
* welcoming of people with a LGBTQA+/BIPoC background * "employee-focused company" is actually true! Ableton cares a lot about its employees. In many different ways. * normally a very positive, welcoming, open, supportive atmosphere * people trust another * you can work on a single product over a long time, not on short projects for 50 different products * nice office furniture, also in the kitchen * has renowned product, people are proud of it * customers are grateful, they appreciate the product * Ableton is very flexible with regards to the situation of employees * very forthcoming if you have special needs * tries to treat employees fairly * a good part of the employees are also in the music business, so they have an intimate relationship with the products * it's always been a pleasure to have chat with the colleagues in the kitchen or at company activities * there are coaches who you can talk to about many topics and who can help you with self-development * company takes learning seriously (if you insist on it) * company founders are approachable and always have an open ear / insights to share * close-knit industry with a lot of exchange between companies (if you're in the right spot)
Cons
* payment is not up to par for a company that sources employees from all over the world; it's more akin to a company that resides in Berlin * employees don't actively participate in company's success * there is no benefit in putting in more effort than others (but you can do it if you want to, unpaid) * company tries to meet to every need, even when they are contradictory, and doesn't always recognize the infeasibility of its ambitions * while people strive for harmony, they are bad at dealing with conflict * company tries to do "lean management", but this resulted in not having middle management for years. * company grows fast, becomes more and more corporate: virtue signalling is becoming more important, it's less about your capabilities and more about if you fit certain political categories/quotas * quite centred around US culture, even though it's a German/Berlin company * company only thinks of people to be well-meaning. If they unfortunately employ a, say, reckless career-centered person, they will bend backwards to satisfy this person's needs, even though this destroys the company, instead of containing them. * not my first choice for white cis males
