Great technical work with flawed management - Software Engineer SmartThings Employee Review

3.0
Jan 21, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The coworkers here are genuinely very smart, capable, and knowledgeable. A lot of the company’s success is driven directly by the development teams, who take real ownership of the work and consistently deliver strong results. From a technical standpoint, there’s a lot to learn from the people around you. - flexible schedule and pto

Cons

The company often feels more developer-run than manager-led. Many of the managers and directors function more as figureheads rather than active leaders, and there is a noticeable lack of managerial understanding when it comes to overseeing employees, supporting growth, and handling people-related challenges. Communication and people skills at the leadership level can be inconsistent, and some individuals come across as more pompous than necessary. This doesn’t apply to everyone, but it happens often enough to impact the overall experience. With stronger leadership, better communication, and more humility at the management level, this could be a much better place to work given the talent already in the organization. Lack of empathy and connection with leadership and employees made going to work less motivated and they pretended like they cared at all.

Explore other reviews about SmartThings

5.0
Feb 28, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Given lots of opportunities - Respectful people - Hard work is often recognized

Cons

- Can be extremely fast paced at times - Last minute feature requests from Samsung is not uncommon.

2.0
Jun 22, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Very competent peers Subsidiary relationship allows for outsized impact within the larger Samsung ecosystem Open culture with lots of possibility for collaboration and exposure if self-directed

Cons

Leadership struggles with Samsung relationship. Unable to deliver on promises or set direction, individuals end up either leaving or keeping their head down and becoming conduits for Samsung demands. Leadership is mostly internal promotions with little new blood or outside experience. 30% RIF in Spring '26 followed by a surprising burst of positive reviews on glassdoor. WLB largely down to luck-of-the-draw, as teams and service ownership aren't always in your control.

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SmartThings Response
3w
Thank you for taking the time to share such thoughtful feedback. I agree that we have an incredible team, one that is genuinely open, collaborative, and uniquely positioned to have an outsized impact both within the Samsung ecosystem and beyond. As Head of SmartThings, I take personal ownership of the unique dynamics that come with our relationship with Samsung. We know that aligning our team with a diverse global organization requires strong internal advocacy and a clear direction, and our leadership team is fully committed to driving that. I also hear you clearly on the need for inspiring, forward-looking communication. As you noted, we have navigated significant changes at SmartThings this year. Managing those transitions with transparency, integrity, and empathy has been a primary focus for me. However, I acknowledge that we don't always execute that as well as we should. We can do better, and we are committed to finding more frequent, transparent ways to keep the SmartThings team connected to our long-term goals and vision. If would like to share more of your insights directly, my door is always open. Please feel free to reach out to me or the leadership team so we can continue this conversation. Thank you for helping us build a stronger SmartThings. Mark
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