Upper management: seems clueless as to what it takes to keep the product flowing at the rate it does. Departments are understaffed in every division.
Middle management:
Strong workers, zero management training if promoted from within. They are promoted to these roles but in addition managing an understaffed team, they are constantly asked to do special internal projects and attend so many meetings they cannot do the job they were promoted to do in the first place. If they do happen to succeed, they burn out and leave.
Promotions: What I've seen over time is that there are two ways to get promoted: One, you are extremely difficult and squeak a lot. Even at the cost of other teams they will continue to give you want you want. Two, you can talk your way out of a box and it is one of your few talents. Its not about the work or the money you make the company.
The people: Are great and really one of the only reasons it makes it difficult to leave this company. But everyone is so tired of the culture it has bred an environment of constant gossip and despair. It was not like this before. Also this seems to be the case after every acquisition in every division. Since randa grows by buying other companies it slowly takes away all previous work culture that employees valued until the people left conform to the new culture. If you hated high school you will hate it here.
The workspace: horrible concept. OPEN SPACE IS FOR REAL CREATIVE FIRMS. This is not. People cannot get work done. You can hear every conversation, see if people walk in late, see if they leave early, see people talking, it breeds gossip and insecurities and is chaotic. Open work spaces have to be thought out and done well for them to work. It does not mean tear down cubicle walls and call it a creative space.
Moving on: They have blocked people from leaving. So beware between the customers Randa has business with and the competitors being blocked, getting a new job could be very difficult.
