Everyone is leaving - which is a real shame. - Senior Developer Sage Employee Review

1.0
11 Apr 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The FM team keep the building clean. The location is nice Sharesave is good Gym isn't too bad Chill coffee shop is friendly and nice

Cons

The management in IT specifically are more interested in each other than the teams below them. There is zero emotional investment from heads of department. IT in Newcastle has seen some key people leave, heads of department, senior managers and team leaders who have been working hard for Sage since it came about. No doubt some one at our new HQ (the Shard) will send a reply to this to tell you is a performance culture where you will be rewarded and things change, and we continually invest in people and we are one, and we live and breath customer service ... This is sadly not the truth and complete PR. Of course there is a need for change, most welcome that as Sage moves very slowly (unless we are talking headcount turnover). But there is a reason the score for Sage is so low, and that is because 80% of these reviews are factually true. We have had a lot of changes in the UKI leadership, most recently (with one of the most influential tech women leaving) and this kind of turnover is unhealthy and shows it's not just IT with issues. There are people who are working their socks off with little to no reward (except this years share save) and covering positions they are not being rewarded for - they are expected to like it or lump it. And it's great some people saying just leave. It's not that simple, most of us have been here a long time and are emotionally invested too. So yes, we most likely will leave but it's not a decision I personally take lightly. You are also asked to retweet the CEO as part of your SMART OBJECTIVES which is slightly odd as most of us use a sage created account and have no followers. Promotions in IT are based on who you know, not what you know.

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Sage Response
9y
Thanks for your feedback. Our roots are firmly based in Newcastle and it's a strategically important campus, the Shard isn't our global HQ. The people across all of Sage are amazing, and it's super-friendly everywhere, but Newcastle is unique from that point of view, probably because of our roots. We understand how critical it is to have a fantastic leaders/people managers, hence we are excited to the launch of our new Leadership Programme - you will feel a big difference. Really pleased you mentioned Share Save - this is being re-launched next month as really pleased to say it's going global for the first time ever at Sage! Our rewards and benefits are also great and everyone in the UK is part of either a Bonus Plan or one of the Commission Plans. There's also great development opportunities - from 1000s of courses on Linda.com, to the Mentoring Programme and the Careers section on Your Sage. Thanks again for your feedback.

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5.0
28 Apr 2026
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Pros

Good benefits. Strong company. Customer focus.

Cons

Frequent Executive changes. Trimming in Engineering teams interferes with product changes.

3.0
15 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

-Pay’s decent -Benefits are solid -The Sage Foundation feels like proper philanthropy -Some genuinely nice people -If you’re happy treating work as just a payslip and don’t mind things being a bit dull, Sage is actually quite a comfortable place to be. That stability is a real perk

Cons

-Far too many layers of middle management and general bureaucracy -The Ai push is getting a bit daft -Not especially innovative, so the work can feel quite uninspiring. I’m grateful to be employed, but if you’re after something more interesting, Sage will probably disappoint. That said, some people prefer it that way, fair enough -The office / hybrid requirements feel a bit pointless -Sage doesn’t tend to do layoffs, which is good, but it does mean there are quite a few people where you’re not entirely sure what they do. A lot of meetings, essentially. Even the positives come with trade-offs

4
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Sage Response
1mo
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughtful and balanced review. We’re pleased to hear that you value your compensation and benefits, as well as the work our Foundation do, among the areas you’ve highlighted. We also recognise the points you’ve raised around bureaucracy, innovation, and the pace and focus of change. Different people are motivated by different things at work, and it’s helpful to hear honest perspectives on how our structure, processes, and priorities can impact day‑to‑day experience and engagement. Feedback like yours helps inform ongoing conversations as we continue to evolve our ways of working, use technology more meaningfully, and improve the products and experiences we create for our customers. If you’re open to sharing further insight, we encourage you to do so through our Always Listening survey. Thank you again for your openness and for being part of Sage.
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