Completely and unrelentingly atrocious - Software Engineer National Grid Employee Review

1.0
Mar 23, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

None. Nice offices. Sharesave schemes.

Cons

Think of the worst IT organisation, technical landscape and working environment you have experienced, multiple this by a factor of 10 or more and you have National Grid. Beyond any possible description of challenging or very challenging, it’s truly diabolical. IT roles are entirely about being a supplier. Expect lots of ‘we have to do it this way’ and ‘that is your job, can you have it ready by end of day’. Lowest level managers are Senior Managers. Levels above this are completely clueless, turning a gigantic mess into an even bigger mess through even worse misdirection. The IT organisation is a dinosaur in every way. New senior leadership does not take IT delivery forward but only back further into the depths of archaic practice, following all the worst approaches possible. It is actually embarrassing to be a part of. Everything seems a constant battle. It doesn’t feel like anyone is on the same side. There is almost a complete lack of support, to achieve anything with a toxic, back stabbing type culture. If you enjoy an environment where you are in meetings all day, every day, every week and with no chance to do any work, for the lowest pay you can find in IT, then National Grid will be perfect for you. If you think that’s a fair price to pay for being in a ‘stable’ company then good luck. Even a simple ‘thanks’ is a rare event at National Grid. Do take care to check the job descriptions when applying for a role. The job description will likely not reflect the actual expectations, which you will then be mercilessly hounded to meet. Best advice I can give: the strongest possible ‘avoid’.

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1.0
Jun 30, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

At NGED the few pros are lessened by the day as the cons are increasing. The idea of a career has gone and now most are resigned to just having a job.

Cons

Aside from the reality being very different from what the leadership team sell IE they don't care about people or net zero, it's all spin and marketing. Now at NGED we are in a situation where staff you have known for many years simply disappear from duty and no one seems to know why, a couple of weeks later they have left the business with an NDA. It's happening all over the business. There seems to be a drive to remove any leaders who have industry technical knowledge and replace them with people from outside the industry who knows little to nothing about electricity. Despite safe to say being an important value, speaking out against this usually results in an NDA. It's toxic positivity where playing along seems to be more important than the role you fulfil.

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