Once great but quickly going downhill - Anonymous employee SoundHound Employee Review

2.0
May 18, 2022
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

When I first joined SoundHound, it was the best job I ever had. It felt like we were doing incredible work with a team that was passionate and excited to be working together. I joined because it felt like SoundHound was a place without a lot of egos and politics and that input from any employee, regardless of role, was heard and considered. I felt I was hired because I was knowledgeable in my role and I was given the responsibility and resources to do what I thought was necessary.

Cons

In the last year, the company culture has changed dramatically. While my direct supervisor continued to be supportive, the executives who had been recently hired have major egos and care more about revenue than employees and culture. People are absolutely under-appreciated on top of being under-paid and nothing is being done to remedy this situation—even though HR is aware of the concerns. I want to also add that the company is very confused when it comes to employee guidelines for workplace expectations. They originally offered a three-prong approach to work by allowing employees to choose to be virtual, hybrid, or in-office. They have since clarified that department heads have the final say and can force anyone into the office upon demand. Additionally, the maternity leave is abysmal (one month), and they also require you to use your PTO for their mandated company shut down unless you clear it with your manager that you will be working. Absolutely ridiculous policy that all of the employees find burdensome and annoying.

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SoundHound Response
4y
Thank you for being part of SoundHound and for sharing your feedback on your experience here. It sounds like key areas of your experience could have been better, and we'd like to learn more if you feel open to sharing additional details. If you'd like to connect with me or a member of the SoundHound executive team directly please message me at jonw@soundhound.com.

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5.0
Apr 2, 2026
Anonymous employee
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CEO approval
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Pros

Great people and hard problems.

Cons

None that I remember from then.

3.0
Apr 13, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Small company tech perks; currently riding the momentum of AI excitement. There are some solid, intelligent managers especially on the engineering side that seek the good of their team members and protect them from politics. Flexible work and no meaningful return to office enforced

Cons

SoundHound used to be a place where excellence mattered over ego, where commitment to doing the right thing trumped politics. Where the goalpost was building great products with quality underlying technology. The goalposts have shifted, but it’s not clear to where. No longer does a movement toward building the best tech drive the team. Instead, a slew of acquisitions have made insecure politicking and delaying decisions the drivers to how the company clunks along from quarter to quarter. A lack of unity at the top trickles down to senior and middle management. It is no longer clear what the product priorities are and why, and there are too many VPs to count (and it’s unclear what being a VP/exec means - there is no minimum size of department or scope of responsibility to get that title, so it loses its credibility). Lots of talk and not a lot of action. They say the more someone talks about something, the less they are probably living it. When leaders talk about the importance of leadership, authenticity, and integrity, it often indicates they are not actually embodying those words.

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