When the Race for Revenue Outran the Company Values. - Anonymous employee Cirium Employee Review

The vibe has shifted from "building together" to "surviving the system." Here is the reality of the slow downfall: ​The "New Blood" Obsession: Leadership is obsessed with hiring "rockstars" from the outside to hit growth targets, while the internal veterans are passed over. Instead of being allowed to grow into new roles, the old guard is stuck in the same position, expected to train their new (and often higher-paid) bosses. ​The Load-Bearing Engineers: On paper, the new hires are the "growth," but in reality, the entire company is resting on the shoulders of a few "OG" engineers. They are the only ones who know where the bodies are buried in the code, yet they get zero recognition—just more work. Dictatorship over Dialogue: The Leadership Team (LT) has stopped asking "What do you think?" and started saying "This is the rule." They’ve retreated into boardrooms, handing down mandates that don’t work in the real world, and they’ve stopped listening to the people actually doing the work. ​The Replacement Theory: Retention is no longer a goal; it’s a math problem. Leadership has decided that everyone is replaceable. They don’t care if a 5-year veteran leaves because they’ve convinced themselves a fresh grad and a documented process can fill the gap. They’re betting that "hope" will keep the remaining team from getting upset, but they’re actually just breeding resentment.