Sounds like a lot of good stuff, right? Each of the above points have a counterpoint that makes many things null and void.
1) Some of the brightest and kindest co-workers in your journey will be passed over for promotions and raises. They will be taken advantage of. Often times, especially in the past few years, they will be let go. There are many employees who come in motivated and energized, competent to change the way things are done. But by the time you're leaving Snap, their energy is drained, their vision is beaten down, and their voice is rendered mute. I've seen Snap slowly drain the life and the soul of some of the smartest minds in the business. They work nights and weekends for a project only for the executive leadership to make a U-turn. Meanwhile, I've seen some of the least deserving employees be given promotions because they simply know how to play the political game very well. This is true for many companies, but trust me when I say it is especially true here.
2) Potential is all that is.. potential. Unrealized potential is a frustrating morale killer. Another review mentioned this before, but it is not a fast-moving company. It is fast-moving in the sense that exec leadership may surprise you with new product developments that will force you to cram your work. But it is slow-moving in terms of your ideas (any ideas below the highest exec levels) getting in the pipeline. Often times, Snap is a place that moves 2 steps forward, 4 steps back. I honestly hope this changes. Nothing would make me happier to see leadership turn the ship and realize that potential. There was a reason I signed up years ago.
3) The benefits are great, but as you will soon find out in many tech companies and start-ups... great perks are often a band-aid to cover up much more cancerous issues underneath. The culture and morale of a team is built from the top-down. Unfortunately, Snap's culture is built on secrecy, belittlement, threatening emails and ignorance. Often times, their programs and their perks do not fix the true issues of their company.
Example 1: Following criticism of tech world's lack of diversity, everyone had to attend a mandatory diversity training course. But if you check out the true decision makers... well, you can do your own research. Changes in diversity and inclusion start from the top and start with how you hire those in positions of power.... not with a 1-hour course.
Example 2: They talk about family being an important part of Snap's culture. They even have Make-a-Wish programs that help certain employees in deep need. But on the day-to-day, they are a company that outwardly has said does not believe in work-life balance. That is not just denied. That is amplified. In addition, I've seen co-workers whose spouses and mothers were escorted out of the office like they were fired (for security reasons). Soooo... family is super important except work is more important and we will walk them out without dignity or respect.
4) As the company grows, more people must be put in positions of leadership and power. Unfortunately, several of these leaders are unavailable, unqualified and awful people managers. Most importantly, several leaders don't have real power to change anything. They hear the ideas and the complaints of their direct reports, only to scream that feedback into an abyss that highest levels of upper management does not hear or respect.
A few other notes:
-- People do not trust the HR department here.
-- There is no logic to the decision-making here or little transparency in the decision-making.
-- I'll echo another review here: Contractors beware.
-- Job security is always low.
-- Exceptions are always made for those in power. They want to appear to have a flat structure, but it's more like a plateau, a true disconnect from the top and everyone else.
