Engineering work constantly reset by leadership indections - Software Engineer Kickdrum Employee Review

2.0
Jan 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Exposure to modern development tools and large-scale systems that could have been valuable under stable conditions

Cons

Projects were frequently redirected or paused without warming, often after significant work had already been completed. Priorities shifted based on last-minute leadership input rather than technical reasoning, which made planning nearby imposible. Engineers were expected to move quickly while absorbing the cost of reward caused by unclear direction. Over time, this created frustration, burnout, and a sense that effort did not matter because nothing was allowed to fully land. The environment rewarded reacting fast instead of building well.

avatar
Kickdrum Response
3w
Thank you for sharing this feedback. It's detailed, and we can tell it comes from a place of genuine frustration. We're sorry your experience felt that way. We hear you on project direction and planning predictability. In a fast-paced service based environment, pivots are sometimes necessary. But we recognize that when they happen without enough context or lead time, they create real costs for engineers: rework, burnout, and a sense of disconnection from outcomes. That's not the experience we want to create. We are actively working on improving how we communicate project priorities, involve engineering voices in planning, and create more stability in delivery. Individual contributors are at the core of what we build, and we want every Drummer to feel that their work lands and matters. Your feedback is valuable, and we'll continue using it to improve."

Explore other reviews about Kickdrum

4.0
May 25, 2022
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great at providing employee support.

Cons

Bad at giving free time.

avatar
Kickdrum Response
3y
Thank you for the feedback. We believe in work-play-learn and attempt to give equal emphasis to all three. As an organization, we try to strike a balance between work and play by having meeting free Fridays, flexible leaves, weekly sports outings, and hybrid work options to name a few.
2.0
Jul 1, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The office had decent snacks and the Austin location itself is nice.

Cons

I entered the establishment with the expectation that the diversity and inclusion messaging I had encountered would be genuine, but it was nothing more than a facade. Every meeting had someone talking about how committed we were to DEI, we had all these initiatives and discussion groups, but when it came to actual decision-making and who got promoted or heard in the room it was the same people every single time. I watched people from underrepresented groups bring ideas that went nowhere and then a few months later someone else would get credit for basically the same thing. The constant talking points about inclusion made it worse somehow, because the gap between what we said and what we did was so obvious. I am not asking for perfection but the disconnect between all the messaging and the reality was exhausting and demoralizing.

1
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All