Detached management and few opportunities for career growth, but stable with good work/life balance. - Software Engineer II Garmin Employee Review

3.0
Oct 10, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Work-life balance is good, and you can generally expect 40-hour weeks unless under special circumstances. Benefits package is comprehensive, which includes stock purchase plan discounts and retirement savings plan contribution matching, as well as impressive dental/paramedical/medical coverage. Recently, training has become more prevalent, though the training may or may not directly affect your career path depending on your job function. Depending on your area of interest, the work can be engaging, and seeing your work make it to market can be rewarding.

Cons

Career growth is "encouraged" but sparse; a stigma is attached to those who move horizontally. Recognition requires abnormal levels of sacrifice and even then is reserved for those already in the spotlight; the problem is compounded by a lack of observation and communication. For a non-military, non-government contract company, communication is particularly opaque and on a need-to-know basis; power and position are maintained through tight control of information in the name of non-disclosure. Collaboration and brainstorming sessions are rare, and the creativity of individual engineers is quashed under senior developers and managers who ultimately enforce their iron rule. Exploration and research with high potential to the company is irrelevant; deviation from the dictated path is generally frowned upon. In some circumstances, engineers in a 'team' work on individual projects with little to no collaboration since communication is seen as a hindrance. The work is repetitive; if you become an 'expert' at something, you'll be doing it for life, even if in different forms; without new challenges or training, your versatility and skills will start to wane. Base compensation is not competitive.

Explore other reviews about Garmin

5.0
Jun 20, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

People are great, work balance is fair and fulfilling

Cons

Not the flashiest benefits like some tech companies have

3.0
Apr 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good benefits and work life balance. It's a good culture and I've never worked at a place where your immediate peers are this helpful and pleasant to work with, even across teams and offices. If you want to just come in and do just what is required for your job and go home with the knowledge you have a stable job, this is the perfect place to work. I'd only recommend working here if you just want a job, but don't care about a career.

Cons

There is poor career advancement, especially if you aren't male. Leadership does not care about leading people. The RTO has made working here less appealing. The excuse that you can't collaborate unless you are in the same building makes no sense when you work with people in 6 different countries. It is about control and appearances, all due to incredibly poor senior leadership strategies. The pay is also low and so is the quality of the software you work on. Leadership likes to talk quality, but they like fast and cheap. They will not support you in actual software quality nor implement changes to improve it. The same issues happen over and over without improvement.

9
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