Pros
I almost did not write this review because the review on December 18th captured much of what I had to say. I recently celebrated my anniversary at Qlik and moved on to a new company, and I spent significant time thinking about my decision. I wanted to provide those thoughts here for the greater good. Qlik is a great stepping stone to a better company, and a great way to break into SaaS. There are some really great people here, and people who work REALLY hard to make things happen. This culture only exists among the teams below VP level. This presents a lot of opportunity because politics [VP to C] are toxic. If you can play politics you will advance your career very quickly because those that can't know their worth and leave! (Remember, I said this is a great stepping stone company - many friends have gone on to Tier 1 employers). If you are an individual contributor, this is likely a great place to work for you. You will work on important projects, and make a difference. You will probably really like it. Just make sure to vet your manager to make sure they are someone you want to work for. There are a ton of great managers, and they can easily protect you from any negatives. And vet how the rest of the organization views the team you're joining too. I also appreciate the transparency from the CEO. He does not dodge hard questions, openly discussing then, and he seems very honest and well intentioned compared to other CEOs I've worked for.
Cons
There is a reason the company has stopped surveying us to review our executive leaders. It starts at the top. I found the review left on December 18th interesting. It is spot on. As a man I had not considered WHY our leadership is not diverse. I really like the CEO. But his next few in command, overseeing many key business functions, are genuinely bad people. As said elsewhere, it is a stick approach, not carrot. And the extent of it is unreasonable. Squeeze every drop out of the team, especially if it is at their expense. I think they enjoy it. I think a higher percent of men are conditioned to 'be tough' than women. Yes there are women who handle it great. But leadership sees empathy, understanding, and team building (traits women are generally more skilled in) as 'weakness' at the end of the day!! I believe many in executive positions feel this way. Many great people have left, and very few remain who have the expertise and skillset to make the company flourish. And it does not matter. What matters is the short term. How profitable can our books look, so PE can profit. To be clear, I do not invest in companies that have great glassdoor reviews. 99% approval rating CEOs are usually low performing, but this is on another level. Times are changing. And will continue to change. I would guess there is a sale in the next 2 years. Most of the toxic senior leadership pushed out as a result, and the new owner will rebuild the culture at Qlik to match theirs. Maybe then, I'll return to work alongside my friends again.
