Toxic Work Environment Led by Neglectful Leadership - Front End Developer Mad Collective Employee Review

Good colleagues, lots of like minded, young people who are eager to have a good time and work creatively.

Upper management had little regard for the worker bees. They provided benefits like work retreats and lunches, but when it came to promotions, HR disputes, and stressful time periods, upper management could be ruthless. When money was tight, they were quick to make layoffs. Little room for growth within career path.

Some genuinely good and talented colleagues Before COVID, decent benefits and bonuses

Toxic leadership is the company’s biggest issue. Many top managers lack the skills, experience, and professionalism needed to run the business effectively. Decisions are often emotional, erratic, and influenced by personal agendas rather than sound business judgment. A notable portion of leadership advanced through favoritism and personal connections rather than merit and proven ability, creating an environment where poor management is tolerated or rewarded. This results in a toxic culture marked by micromanagement, inconsistent expectations, and high instability across teams. Some teams are somewhat functional, but many face constant mismanagement, low morale, and rapid turnover. Leadership regularly ignores employee concerns and refuses to take responsibility for mistakes. During the forced unpaid leave (ERTE), employees were pressured into accepting fake projects or forced to leave otherwise. Some were even threatened with management of their new companies being contacted, or this was actually done. Several employees reported not only abusive behavior by some managers but also widespread incompetence and ineffectiveness throughout management. Despite these serious concerns, HR took no meaningful action to address them. The main product is unstable, built on outdated, error-prone code, with constant issues and minimal real improvements. Management prioritizes aggressive upselling and revenue over fixing core problems. Reckless spending on doomed projects, most notably the KetoDiet, which was clearly flawed from the start and drained resources that could have improved the company. Work environment varies greatly by team, with some so poorly managed that turnover is extremely high.