-You can look in the faces of most IT employees and see the effects of the environment at first glance. A day in the life often looks like an episode of The Walking Dead. Look at all of the faces you pass during your interview. You will most likely not interview near IT work centers for this reason. They don’t want to scare off fresh blood.
-Employees have no place to turn when there is a concern with management. There are no employee advocates within the company. I’ve seen and heard a number of horror stories about HR being used as a sword by unethical managers to target and retaliate against honest, hard working, dedicated employees. HR seems to enjoy and promote toxic, hostile management practices. Since merger, I’ve heard current and former long tenured employees describe the way HR and executive level behavior as “demonic”. I have often heard horrific reports from long standing current and former employees about discriminatory practices with regard to promotions and day to day management. I have been a witness and a victim of those practices.
-Managers use intimidation to "motivate" in a chaotic, disorganized environment. As one other reviewer posted “There are good VPs but bad VPs are more common.” One IT executive is notorious for publicly attempting to shame subordinates on departmental calls. As far as I know, he has only fired employees and contractors of color so there is a major discrimination concern. I’ve heard so many detailed discriminatory practice horror stories that I worry the company may ultimately end up having to defend itself against a class action lawsuit.
-The IT tools and processes are far from standardized and the culture is very reactive.
-If an effort requires collaboration between teams/departments, it is often approached in an adversarial manner. Projects, day to day operations and morale suffer heavily as a result.
-Projects are frequently stalled and abandoned.
-There are few SOPs for projects, day to day tasks, etc.
-Very meeting heavy. Few meetings actually provide walk away tasks. If they do, accountability for those tasks only comes into play if you are not a “darling” for the executives north of you.
-Since the merger, the environment has become highly political and cutthroat. Some IT executive and management staff exhibit highly unethical, unscrupulous behaviors and are not held accountable for the same.
-Most raises are cost of living based and are rarely based on merit and accomplishments.
-Promotions are few and far between. If you have a really good manager, there is a SLIGHTLY increased chance of advancement but the managers have to get creative and need considerable executive support.
-IT frequently overloads employees and requires long hours with minimal rewards or recognition.
-In at least one IT department, all white director level and above staff does not “mingle” with non-white employees. Growth opportunities for POC are stunted more frequently as a result.
-There are many motivated boots on the ground but truly talented, dedicated individuals often leave because of highly political, toxic corporate culture and uncompetitive compensation/rewards.
-As another reviewer posted, I can attest to the fact that “The truth is dead at SiriusXM“ and “This is a cut throat environment” that is flourishes with the support of HR & Legal. Again, I’ve been both a witness (many times) and a victim although my performance appraisals have always been stellar.
