- Work-life balance does not exist. Everyone is expected to work long and unpredictable hours, under intense pressure, most of the time. My department was expected to work weekends and all holidays, with no comp time or other incentives. Any attempt to manage the workload was usually dismissed as laziness.
- The IT organization has a punitive culture. Any technical problem is perceived as an employee performance problem, a scapegoat will be identified, and your job will be made harder to compensate (e.g., having to get up at 2:00 AM and stare at the screen to "prevent it from breaking.")
- Management was not receptive to feedback on technical problems. There was always a reason why there was no time or money to fix problems, and new work always took priority.
- A crisis-management process was implemented recently, resulting in the majority of system problems being designated as high severity, with the requirement to sit on the phone until the situation is 100% resolved. Some of my colleagues had to work all day, night, and day again due to this process.
- Very close supervision, where you have little/no autonomy and have to explain yourself over and over again. If you are an independent person, you will feel micro-managed.
- Staffing levels are very tight. They expect the same level of coverage as a follow-the-sun operations center out of 2-3 people.
- Favoritism and office politics are widespread. If you or your department are not favored, you will be made to suffer, and no amount of explanations or proof will get you any relief.
- The corporate culture is autocratic. There are a lot more non-negotiable rules and policies than most other workplaces, and normal, behind-closed-doors dialogue was usually met with an angry response. Several "monster managers" are running around completely unchecked.
