Very dog eat dog atmosphere. Technology behind other leading competitors - Anonymous employee Starkey Employee Review

1.0
Jul 6, 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The 4 weeks pto is a plus Things we do for the foundation to help people in need are wonderful.

Cons

This company is basically Washington. Really, the family is constantly going to Washington to buy lobbyists and "slow down" the process of otc hearing aids. They actually send out mass emails advising us to call our legislatures on their behalf. It takes a lot of balls to attempt to move in on someone's belief systems. This is of course, for their bottom line. They like to pitch that it's not at the town meetings and say that it's for the good of the patient. However, I ask you starkey, if your analog hearing aids are good enough for people in third world countries, what do you have against people in the us. Using them. Exactly, DOLLARS. We need the people In the us. Who can "afford" digital to pay for digital, don't we? You should really be ashamed of yourselves. The company is all about "family", only you aren't a part of it. They are very focused on the step son, moving forward with the business despite his lack of credentials. Today, he was awarded an honor for making starkey a great place to work. Not sure what he did or how this was polled. I must have missed that memo. It's a very political place, I would stay away

Explore other reviews about Starkey

5.0
May 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Flexibility, good pay, rewarding work, great employees, private company

Cons

Some silos between departments can be difficult to work with sometimes

3.0
Jan 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Mission-Driven Impact: You get the unique satisfaction of knowing your technical infrastructure directly supports technology that restores hearing and improves the quality of life for millions. • Innovation Hub: Because Starkey integrates AI and sensors into their hearing aids, IT engineers often work with sophisticated, modern stacks that bridge the gap between traditional enterprise IT and wearable tech. • Strong Local Culture: As a privately held company with deep roots in Minnesota, Starkey offers a stable, family-oriented environment that often feels more personal than a massive, faceless tech conglomerate.

Cons

Legacy Debt: Like many established manufacturing giants, you may encounter older legacy systems and "on-prem" hurdles that can slow down the deployment of more modern, cloud-native solutions. • Corporate Rigidity: Some employees report a traditional top-down management style, which can occasionally feel restrictive if you are used to the agile, flat autonomy found in Silicon Valley-style startups. • High-Pressure Environment: Given the precision required for medical devices and global distribution, the IT uptime requirements can lead to demanding "on-call" cycles and high-stress troubleshooting windows.

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