Sphera Solutions Reviews

- No chance of any progression if you're in a junior role and not part of the sales team - The bonuses are barely there and are laughable (1%). There is no reason to work harder to achieve these - Salary progression is a joke. There is no salary progression based on merit. Everyone at a certain level is scaled the same amount, regardless of achievements and contributions to the company (3%) - After downsizing departments without hiring more people, fewer people are expected to do even more work. Sphera continue to give employees every reason to leave and no reason to stay, and as more people leave without any sign that they will be replaced, Sphera continue to put more pressure on remaining employees. The vicious cycle of work is extremely unpleasant to be stuck in - Don't expect anything resembling helpful training. I had to learn everything on the job. When I made it clear that I wanted training, with examples of what I waned and why, I was told that 'there was no precedent' for this in my role, which seems strange, and that I should go and make a list of specific courses etc. I wanted to be sent on. I went off and made a very thorough and comprehensive table, including courses, start dates, total time for course, costs, and benefits these could bring to my role. This was duly disregarded and never acted upon, despite my repeated pursuits to get an answer to my requests. I achieved a £52 training course primarily because I had become so sick of asking I purchased it myself and asked my manager if I could expense it - No chance of travel to or integration with other parts of the company, unless you're a very senior member of the team. Sphera's individual products can't be considered passably integrated with each other at this stage. Sphera Cloud may change this, but after listening to that promise for a year with no results, it's difficult to continue to take it on faith - Following the previous point, we would sometimes be assigned a new developer, only to have him suddenly be acquired by another team, with no communication whatsoever to indicate this would happen. It makes it very difficult to plan when you're expected to read minds to achieve this - Company-wide culture is a joke. As per the above point, don't expect to get involved with other offices. The company might send you Sphera-branded swag but there is very little to be proud of or give you a reason to actually use the things because they are Sphera-related. The progress of Sphera seems to be something that employees are meant to take on faith as much as by facts. Inevitably Sphera are registering increase in profits - with fewer employees to pay, they have less of an overhead - Social budget is extremely low - in our case about £2000 for the Teddington office for the entire year, expected to cover 3 away days, the Christmas dinner, and any other social activities the office could care to have - While the sales and marketing team is highly valued, the people making the products are not. That's a shame, given that if they all leave and only the sales team remain there won't be any sustainable products to sell or market - Long-term plans seem to be highly unrealistic given how many people continue to leave I could go on, but the summary is this: if you want to be given far more work than you could realistically be expected to do, with minimal respect for the effort that you're putting in and little to no compensation for it, then Sphera is the place for you.

1. Recruitment Process: The recruitment experience felt overly embellished, creating an impression of a more exciting role than what the reality offered. The actual responsibilities differed significantly from what was initially presented, making the role feel like it is misaligned. There seems to be a considerable disconnect between the role's advertised challenges and the on-the-ground expectations. 2. Leadership and Management: The promotion criteria for leadership positions, specifically within the VP roles, appear to lack emphasis on relevant expertise or industry certifications. This pattern reflects the organisation's overall culture, where professional growth and qualifications seem to take a backseat to other less tangible factors. The impact of this is seen in various areas, but particularly within the PMO division, where inadequate leadership is pervasive. 3. PMO Division: The PMO division, in particular, is alarmingly underqualified. The fundamentals of a Project Management Office, such as understanding project profitability and effective cost forecasting seem lost on the current team. Managing projects often feel like I am spoon-feeding a clueless manager who lacks even the most basic PMO competencies. Having a "PMO for Dummies" book on hand would be an improvement. 4. Meeting Culture: The PMO meetings are unproductive and mind-numbing, filled with redundant discussions that detract from the actual client project work. Not only are these meetings draining, but the PMO representatives also seem to actively obstruct project progress rather than support it. As a Director, I often found myself better equipped to manage projects and client relationships without the interference of the PMO team, whose involvement add little to no value. 5. Client Interactions: The PMO’s approach to client-facing meetings is problematic, as they tend to undermine existing client relationships instead of strengthening them. They lack basic stakeholder engagement skills, frequently attempting to take control of projects without the requisite knowledge or experience. If this division intends to contribute meaningfully, they need serious training in stakeholder management and should limit their role to internal and back office support, the current PMO team is just not client facing or strong enough to put in front of customers. 6. Executive Leadership Team: The overarching leadership style is marked by micromanagement, primarily by middle-aged men who lack diversity of thought and relevant expertise. The current approach bleeds valuable time and energy from the workforce, as they set up meetings that often derail ongoing projects. There is a pressing need for Blackstone to re-evaluate its Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and Operational Leadership Team (OLT) and consider bringing in professionals with the right career-driven motivations, certifications, and experience to lead effectively, particularly within the PMO function. Conclusion: Overall, the company could benefit from a significant cultural shift, focusing on fostering a more professional, knowledgeable, and effective leadership team. It’s crucial for the organisation to invest in proper training for the PMO staff, while reassessing leadership qualifications and promoting career-driven professionals to truly unlock its potential.