Glassdoor reviews

3.9

66% would recommend to a friend

(1,113 total reviews)
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Owen Humphries

84% approve of CEO

38% positive business outlook

Glassdoor has an employee rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars, based on 1,113 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Glassdoor employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Informationstechnologie industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

1K reviews
2.0
Aug 15, 2016

ZA

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Some repeats from other reviews here. A great office space right on the water’s edge, a quick reverse commute over the golden gate bridge, plenty of snacks, provided lunch, beer, etc. Essentially all the perks you’d expect from any startup/tech firm worth its salt. On the whole Glassdoor did a very good job on hiring the right people who added to a shared value system, worked hard (to reinforce it), and as a consequence, developed a cohesive culture. 2 out of my 3 managers were fantastic. The Scotch Club. Finally my teammates, truly good people who made it a pleasure to work at GD. I only hope I was able to do as much for you as you did for me. Thank you.

Cons

GD has been fortunate to scale rapidly over the past ~3 years and in most cases hired or promoted the right people to facilitate the next stage of growth (CFO, CHRO, GC, CRO, etc.). Missteps are inevitable in any organization and promoting one of the directors who I’ll give the fictitious name of "Za" is one such example. Za simply does not posses the hard and (surprisingly) soft skills/emotional quotient required for the position. From a professional vantage this director lacks business sense, has demonstrated an ineptitude for sales in general, is void of the maturity and composure required to lead effectively, has advanced cronyism/favoritism, is unable to work effectively with cross-departmental leaders, and disregards the counsel of direct-report, managers who are more experienced and capable. Decisions can’t be made solely on one’s qualitative perception of the business..that is grossly negligent. Especially, when you are responsible for the livelihoods of 50+ people and tens of millions of dollars. You need to be able to create, interpret, and apply data to your policies/decisions just as much if not more than your “feelings.” In many instances this director demonstrated an alarming inability to do so. One example is the promotion criteria created by this director, which eschews reps' merits for promotion (what proper performance looks like) in place of an regressive, out of touch, idealistic criteria. Involve your managers in the discussions that are going to impact and shape the tier. Don’t just hear them out because you think that is what is needed to temporarily appease them then put forth a unilateral policy. Rather apply their good ideas and fight for them. This is what other directors have done and as a consequence they have benefited from the collective brainpower of their managers...this is also business 101. By not doing this you make it seem as if you are hiding something, have a hidden agenda, or are threatened by ideas not of your own making. The most important outcome of this unilateral approach is the tier’s interests aren’t being properly lobbied for. A cogent suggestion is to let your managers operate with independence instead of treating them as if this is their first job out of college. I’ve never experienced the level of of redundant micromanagement as I did while reporting to Za. Denying promotions to the reps who closed the the two largest deals in tier's history because you don't like they deal types is extremely selfish. The reps fought hard for these wins and no matter the circumstances surrounding the deals’ pre or post closure you need to recognize and reward the wins.

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Glassdoor Response
9y
After reading this review, I am reminded that I can always do better to more clearly communicate and lead. I wanted to personally respond to your review because I think it is safe to say that I am the figure you have named, “Za.” As I read through your review, what is tough about this review is the misinterpretation of what Za is. Za isn't a person, place or thing. I coined the term Za because yes, it's catchy, and it's easy to say, but because there was no word that encompassed all the things that Za stands for today. Za is good. Za is positive. Za means working hard, doing the right thing when no one is watching. It means pushing yourself when it hurts the most, encouraging those around you, not trying to beat them down, remembering to laugh a lot and most importantly, Za means to be the best you. I strive daily to be just that, Za. Reading this review, I understand I was not my definition of Za to you and that is a bummer for me to hear. I wish we had the opportunity to discuss some of your concerns in person before you left the company, as I am always open to feedback. The good news is, here at Glassdoor, we have made adjustments to quota, we have figured out how to make self-serve work for all parties, and we are hiring more leaders in order to increase the bandwidth for our managers. You are right. This has been a challenging year and I appreciate your empathy for me. Running a high growth business is challenging, but it has been fun to come out on the other side as the top performing tier to-date in the company. I thank you for being a part of that success and hope you feel proud. I wish you the best in your future roles.
3.0
Aug 12, 2016

There are dogs. There are politics. There are free lunches.

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I work with some great people. Glassdoor offers a good number of perks that are great if you can step away from work and take advantage. I have had the opportunity to see a company grow and the good and bad you face through that growth. I have learned a lot about navigating the politics of the workplace which will benefit me in during the rest of my time here.

Cons

It's frustrating to try and make a difference when you are constantly cleaning up broken pieces. Great work doesn't seem to be a priority. The word firedrill is a daily constant. The leadership at Glassdoor use to seem really great and I felt supported by it. Lately it feels as if every team is trying to prove why they are winning by pointing out how other departments are losing and politics are everywhere.

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Glassdoor Response
9y
Things can always be fixed. And there are always things that need to be fixed. Staying focused, and building healthy teams is critical to success in every business. This is the responsibility of leadership up and down the business and of every employee. Where you see unhealthy interactions happening speak up. Where things feel bad, speak up. And, continue to contribute as you are. The bigger we get, the more we need to communicate and work together. Talk to your manager. Talk to our team mates. We're all in this together.
5.0
Aug 12, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

When I started here a few years ago, we were a scrappy startup, flying by the seat of our pants, growing like crazy, and moving a million miles an hour. It was fun, but it was a mess. As someone who cares deeply about the success of this company, and about our mission, I'm really glad to see us being more measured, judicious, organized, and efficient. Also, when I joined, the product vision was controlled by a clique of the "OG" leaders who had been with the company since the very early days. As we've grown up, we've hired more outsiders into product leadership roles, and developed more of a diversity of opinions. When this change started, people were scared. But it's clear that having more smart people collaborating is making us stronger and smarter and more creative. I've never been more excited about the stuff I'm working on here than I am right now, and I've never been more optimistic about Glassdoor's future.

Cons

The transition to being a grown-up company has been trying at times. Even though we're changing for the better, change is always hard. And some people are unhappy about it (click the "Ratings Trends" link next to the star rating above -- looks pretty bad these days). The real turbulence is happening in the sales org and not product/engineering, so I can't really speak to it. On the tech side, we're humming. But churn/turnover, and a small, vocal group of unhappy sales people does take a real toll on everyone's morale.

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Glassdoor has 1,269 Glassdoor reviews submitted anonymously by Glassdoor employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Glassdoor is right for you.