Skip This Company - Anonymous employee Relativity Employee Review

2.0
Feb 17, 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They are young, youthful rich company.

Cons

The company’s problem is their management. Quality ranges from adequate to inept. Definitely not “great” as they like to think. It is fragmented with no vision so each department is free to make its own, and usually contradictory, policies. It’s a good example of running a company without grownups. The documentation department is typical. Its management is weak, and indecisive. They lack experience and judgment, making them ill-suited, if not outright incompetent. They’re very good with dotty mechanical details like enforcing styles, removing passive voice, and making sure you respond to an endless stream of meaningless, self-important and officious sounding e-mail, and so delude themselves about pretending to be managers. However, when faced with any new ideas or improvements, they are incapable of making serious decisions, and are more apt to fire the writer than to listen. Literally. There is the alarmingly high turnover rate. Within a single 15-month period, four technical writers came and went. All of them were over 40, and three were senior level. The collective experience of those four were at least 60 years, versus the remainder of the team’s 36 years. The company should seriously question management’s competency, because they either serially hire the wrong people in the first place, or, the actual case, they are unable to handle writers who know what they’re doing. If you’re under 30 and your first job, this’ll seem like a good place. You’ll like the flavor of the Kool-Aid, go along with the oppressive micromanagement, and feel like you’re playing Technical Writer™. May as well as get the worst managers of your career out of the way now. But be cautious. You’ll come to understand that promotions are unlikely, and you’re not being taught any skills. If you’re over 40, understand that your career is limited to six months, and they view experience as a liability, even something to make fun of. API writers, in the unlikely event they’ll hire skilled writers again, know that you’ll be browbeaten into being technical writers. Bottom line? Skip this company.

Explore other reviews about Relativity

5.0
Jul 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Extremely supportive environment; everyone is there to help you succeed.

Cons

No noticeable or prominent cons.

2.0
Jul 15, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Free Lunch on Wednesdays Solid Benefits Good pay for new hires

Cons

The flexible work week doesn't actually exist. It's an excuse to require some employees to work more than the 40 hour work week. Chicago employees are required to go into the office at least 2 days a week, even if rest of the team is remote. My specific team is without clear direction or leadership. Performative corporate jargon is rewarded over meaningful contributions. Existing employees are paid significantly less than new hires. At least on my team, there have been differences of $20 to $30K in annual salary for the same level.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All