The workplace environment has shifted dramatically in the last year, especially within the India SRE organization. Leadership feels disconnected from the technical reality and heavily driven by fear of escalations rather than genuine problem-solving. This reactive style pushes pressure downward, leaving engineers to absorb blame and stress with minimal support or advocacy.
There is a growing perception of favoritism and internal politics. New principal-level hires seem to hold disproportionate influence, often sidelining existing employees instead of integrating with them. Employees without Palo Alto ties frequently feel like outsiders, regardless of performance or tenure. Valuing connections over competence has damaged collaboration and trust.
Older or longer-term employees feel undervalued and overlooked despite having contributed significantly to the company. The cultural shift has made it clear that networking and proximity to a small leadership group matter more than expertise or execution.
I have spent over three years here and previously experienced a positive, growth-oriented environment. But since the leadership change in the SRE team, decisions appear to be influenced by a narrow set of voices rather than grounded in technical context or local judgement. The focus has moved away from empowering teams and toward controlling narratives. Back-channel communication and whisper politics have become more visible than transparent dialogue.
Advice to top leadership: Listen beyond the inner circle. Collect unbiased feedback from the wider engineering teams before the culture deteriorates further. There is exceptional talent in the organization, but without course correction, politics and insecurity will continue to overshadow the work.
