I’d advise against working at Percona - Marketing Percona Employee Review

2.0
Sep 18, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Remote first culture even before COVID - The company crazily enough makes money, so you’ll most likely get a quarterly bonus - Fairly low stress - Passionate people who live and breath database tech

Cons

- There is ZERO strategy. None. No one knows what’s coming down the pike, where the company is going related to product roadmap, what to work on, who the key stakeholders or approvers are, etc etc. Maybe this isn’t a problem for some, but it having a plan makes everyday basically a page out of a “Choose your Own Adventure” book - Since the start of 2021, Percona has made some pretty questionable executive hires in both HR and Marketing, which has lead to a mass exodus of over 2/3 of the employees in each department. Did leadership listen to employee feedback before it got to that point? Nope. So now, a team of 15+ is now 5 with no replacements to do the work. - The leaders in Engineering and Product truly know the ins and outs of building/fixing database tech. But those same people are clueless on how to run a company, develop culture, or lay a strong foundation for future growth. And what’s worse, the egos and supreme confidence that their direction is the only direction works against them in that employees live in a culture of fear to say anything that goes against the CEO or Leadership. Which as you can imagine makes for a chaotic and somewhat stressful environment. I believe that Percona’s best days are sadly behind them. They attracted great talent with their “remote only” work environment but with COVID, every SaaS co is remote. So I foresee more and more highly talented employees leaving, which many have over the last few months to join up at Percona arch rival MongoDB.

Explore other reviews about Percona

5.0
Dec 18, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Products used by many companies, a lot of professionals here, high industry recognition

Cons

Pay is not great, sometimes work process can be a bit too chaotic

2.0
Jul 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Depending on your role and manager, there is a good level of flexibility, and remote working is generally supported. Annual leave is generous, particularly compared to many US-based companies. The company makes an effort to organise local meet-ups around holidays or when colleagues are visiting from other locations. These are a good opportunity to connect with people outside of day-to-day work. Technical contributors generally have access to good support and opportunities to develop their skills, with investment in technical communities and collaboration.

Cons

Most employees are engaged as contractors and receive no employment benefits. On top of that, everyone is paid in US dollars regardless of where they live, which means exchange rate fluctuations can have a real impact on people's income and financial stability. This issue has been raised with both HR and management on a number of occasions, but there has been little meaningful progress. While arrangements appear to have been made for a small number of employees, the wider issue remains unresolved for the majority. There is a lack of experienced and properly trained managers. There also doesn't seem to be enough accountability when management issues are raised. Even where concerns have been brought to HR, it's difficult to see any meaningful oversight or improvement. Recruitment increasingly feels like it's being driven by cost rather than capability. There is a clear focus on hiring in lower-cost countries, often at the expense of skills, experience, and finding the best person for the role. Policies are not applied consistently, which creates a perception that some people or teams are treated differently from others. Diversity, equity and inclusion don't appear to be genuine priorities. While they're spoken about, they aren't reflected consistently in decision-making or the overall employee experience. There is also a noticeable imbalance in the level of marketing and administrative support provided across different regions. Some teams are well supported, while others are expected to deliver the same results with far fewer resources.

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