Practice By Numbers Software Engineer Reviews

Likes

The office's proximity to the metro station made commuting convenient.

Dislikes

1. Indian startup: Do not be misled by the US-based appearance, the currency in dollars, bootstrap, or founding engineer; this company is similar to any other Indian call center and offers modest compensation. 2. Exit process: The company's exit process lacks structure, often characterized by impulsive decision-making and a notable absence of HR support. Employees encounter difficulties obtaining relieving or experience letters, exacerbating the challenges of transitioning to new roles. Moreover, the company's stringent notice period policy, spanning 2-3 months, coupled with demands for payment in lieu of notice, adds to the complexity of departing. There also have been instances where the company has provided unfavorable feedback to future employers, tarnishing departing employee's reputations. 3. Job security concerns: The company's hire-fire culture introduces uncertainty regarding job security, causing anxiety among employees. This highlights a problematic hiring process where individuals are terminated post-hiring for reasons unrelated to their skills or performance. Examples include an employee being demoted to intern and subsequently fired for asking questions deemed inappropriate by the CEO, and another case features an individual terminated for requesting work from home, a negotiation agreed upon during the hiring process. These instances contribute to the overall unease among the workforce. Surely, many lives will be at stake after this review. 4. Leadership and culture: The work environment is spoiled by unconventional expectations and a notable lack of trust from leadership, creating a double standard within the company. Notably, the CEO took extended vacations himself, yet reprimanded employees for taking short leaves, asserting that leaves should only be taken in emergencies. Communication from the CTO is indirect, always channeled through the CEO, and limited to urgent times. The CEO's perceived rudeness and mistrust further deteriorate the work atmosphere, impacting morale and collaboration. His practice of listening to video and voice recordings, especially the use of unprofessional language with some employees, conveys a demanding attitude. This includes instances of yelling to maintain control, possibly as a strategy to discourage salary hike discussions. Despite official working hours being 9-6, employees are expected to work a minimum of 10 hours on weekdays and sometimes on weekends as well with no comp-off. Moreover, the CEO frequently emphasizes that the Indian center is not yielding profits, leading to a refusal of promised half-yearly appraisals, directly contradicting what was communicated during the hiring process. He thinks salary payments are an act of charity rather than fair compensation for our services. His attempts to manipulate ratings by encouraging management to write favorable reviews add another layer of concern. 5. Workplace conditions: Basic amenities are lacking, showcasing a focus on cost-cutting at the expense of employee comfort. The workspace is overcrowded, attempting to accommodate 50 people in a space meant for 20, creating cramped conditions. Additionally, the quality of coffee and tea provided is questionable, being made with milk powder rather than fresh ingredients. The office boys's unhelpful attitude further exacerbates the situation. as simple tasks, like obtaining hot water, become unnecessarily challenging due to reluctance and questing. The absence of dedicated toilets within the workplace forces reliance on unsanitized public facilities, posing a considerable challenge to employees' well-being and comfort. 6. Code quality and collaboration: The codebase exhibits subpar and unoptimized practices, riddled with bugs that compromise the software's functionality and user experience. Rather than focusing on constructive solutions, there is a tendency to blame others, impeding team morale and collaboration. Knowledge transfer is virtually nonexistent, with the prevailing mindset being, "You're an engineer, figure it out yourself." The fear of taking risks and implementing improvements hinders progress, as individuals here prioritize self-preservation over innovation. Additionally, obtaining information from leadership is accompanied by taunts, creating an unwelcoming atmosphere for communication. Despite the use of numerous technologies, none seem to function optimally. The workplace lacks a favorable environment for knowledge acquisition. Code reviews are not taken seriously, and in the event of production issues, developers are often targeted for blame, potentially leading to termination....Read More

Work Details

Work days: Monday to Friday (Strict Timings)

Work related travel: This job involves Travel Within City.