Pros
While the majority of my experience working at The X Company was negative, there were some positive aspects going into the role before things took a turn. Those included travel to exciting cities and unique benefits offered, which was enjoyable.
Cons
The CEO's manipulative behavior, unreasonable demands, and high expectations created a toxic work environment, leading to a crazy turnover rate. I've worked at some of the fastest-growing tech companies in the world over the last decade, and the culture at X was the worst I've ever witnessed. Three concrete examples include: 1. An "optional" book club that was used as a weapon against those who didn't attend. In addition, the CEO often chose male-dominated and inappropriate material for discussion and rarely allowed others to voice their preferences. 2. The CEO made every employee record each and every Zoom meeting once we went remote during the pandemic. The bright side to this insane request was that I recently came across old videos where he showcased aggressive behavior, cursed, and even appeared shirtless during multiple 1v1s, which was highly unprofessional and uncomfortable as a female leader on the team. 3. The only company-wide recognized holidays were July 4th and Columbus Day. I'll let individuals decipher what they will from that ...