Photon reviews

The biggest issue is the workload. You're often expected to work 11–12 hours a day but only get paid for 8 — there’s no overtime compensation, just an unspoken expectation to stay late. Micromanagement is constant, and it makes it hard to feel trusted or valued. There's little space to work independently or grow. Pay across the team is inconsistent, even when people are doing the same kind of work. And if you're on a visa, it’s especially difficult — there’s not much transparency or support, and it creates a lot of anxiety. Taking PTO is frustrating. Even if you’ve accrued it, getting approval requires multiple layers and often feels discouraged. It adds to the overall pressure of working here. Advice to Management:
Start by respecting people’s time — if employees are working long hours, that should be recognized and compensated fairly.
Be transparent about pay and make sure people on visas feel supported, not isolated.
Ease up on the micromanagement and focus on building trust. Let people do the jobs you hired them to do. And fix the PTO process — it shouldn’t be that hard for people to take time off they’ve earned.

PPT only, No structure. Bad culture.