Appalling Company, Appalling Managers - Developer Fourth Employee Review

1.0
3 Feb 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Very good client base and set of people working on developing the product. Some people try their best to create a good office vibe by organising social events both inside and outside the office but the engagement and support from the management is non-existent.

Cons

No leadership, no organisational structure, no support. Most of the directors have no experience with any other companies and have no idea on how to engage with people. People who joined the company with the aim of transforming the way of working or implementing structure either gave up and left or were terminated when they didn't see eye to eye with the existing management. Intermediate level managers manage by fear which isn't surprising as that's the way they managed. If you voice an opinion the management don't like you're given the silent treatment which is a bit childish when it's CTO! There was an impenetrable clique of long-serving employees who created most of the disharmony by refusing to change their ways of working and believing that they knew what was the right decision. The office environment is poor but the management think that because it's in a great location that's all that matters. My desk measured the legal minimum and I had two monitors to accommodate, it was impossible to think most of the time because people are practically sat on top of one another - most developers chose to wear headphones to block out the noise. It was a soul destroying and stressful place to work.

Explore other reviews about Fourth

5.0
19 Jun 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good team communication and positive leadership.

Cons

Need to update back-end software; tools are out-of-date.

1.0
17 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Very few pros come to mind, there were some great people on the individual contributor level I worked with across multiple teams however many left or are on their way out.

Cons

This is a highly toxic and disorganized work environment. Leadership’s lack of knowledge, direction, and experience is apparent. When I started, leadership was disengaged and disconnected to everything. I noticed there was a sudden and obvious change in leadership’s approach where “urgent” asks from above were being requested with little to no context. Unrealistic and changing expectations started being communicated as the norm. This caused confusion, chaos, and burn out, resulting in extremely low morale across teams. Concerns and feedback were either ignored or people were penalized/suddenly terminated for speaking up. Lastly, it doesn’t go unsaid there is no work life balance or professional boundaries here. This is a work environment that sets people up for failure and can have a serious impact on overall well-being.

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