The Tech Risk department is one of the worst among the Big 4 in terms of work-life balance. Expect long working hours, with frequent pressure from seniors and managers who delegate tasks to you without offering any real support. The atmosphere is toxic, with higher-ups scolding employees in front of clients and yelling in the office. There is a pervasive micromanaging culture, particularly from the female leadership, who insists on seeing employees in the office even on weekends and constantly checks in after office hours.
There is a severe lack of respect for personal time, with demands to work and reply even when you're on annual leave or sick leave. Taking time off is frowned upon and often declined, making it nearly impossible to disconnect. Junior staff and new associates are often expected to take on tasks outside of their job description without any additional compensation or benefits. The upper management fails to show appreciation, and there is a widespread culture of gossip and office politics.
Partners review associates directly, bypassing assistant managers and above, which can be uncomfortable and inappropriate. Multiple review sessions take place where associates, seniors, and managers always have to present. These sessions often feel like a waste of time and resources, and no wonder so many people resign due to the sheer lack of meaningful feedback. Promotions seem to be influenced more by office politics and favoritism than by actual performance. In roundtable discussions, promotions are often reserved for their own group (non-locals, specifically Malaysia PRs), or those who constantly flatter the higher-ups. This creates a toxic environment where talent is overshadowed by favoritism.
There’s a culture where certain senior managers and staff, particularly those who have migrated from another company in Malaysia, frequently engage in gossip. They are also known to ask controversial questions, stare at colleagues (especially females), and engage in inappropriate discussions. If you confide in anyone from this group, the information will be immediately spread throughout the department. Some senior managers even invite you to social gatherings, like at their homes, to fish for information about others or get personal details. Once they’ve extracted what they need, they’ll stop inviting you, demonstrating a lack of genuine camaraderie.
The workload is consistently high, with frequent demands to work on public holidays, weekends, and nights, which is not specified in the contract. Expect to work overtime regularly on top of the already overwhelming workload. Managers openly scold employees, calling them stupid or insulting them when they try to explain situations. The lack of support makes the work environment unbearable. During certain periods, the only time employees get off is during a brief "non-peak" two-month period, but even that is overshadowed by the 10 months of constant overtime. Managers also back toxic senior employees, leaving little room for growth or improvement in the team dynamic.
When employees take leave, the higher-ups, including female bosses, forget that you’re on leave and will still blame you for not responding or performing duties, even when you’ve already communicated the time off. I've even heard from colleagues that going on reservist leave feels like a crime, as it’s expected that you continue working weekends and juggle work before heading off for national duties.
The management continues to ask why employees are leaving, yet fails to address the root causes: toxic culture, lack of respect for personal time, excessive workload, and favoritism. These issues create a high turnover rate, yet leadership remains oblivious.
