The company feels like it is steadily losing ground in the market, and each year the internal environment deteriorates further. Strong, capable managers are progressively replaced by people who lack both the technical understanding and the leadership skills required for their roles. Decision-making is not data-driven — what matters is which engineer a given manager has chosen to trust unconditionally. Whoever holds that informal influence effectively sets the team's direction, regardless of merit or evidence. This leads to a culture where individual vision and internal initiatives are routinely killed. The implicit message from leadership is clear: do what you are told, not what you think is right. As a result, the most talented people are leaving in increasing numbers, and the company is quietly hollowing out. What was once an exciting, high-energy organization is starting to resemble the Titanic — impressive from the outside, but taking on water fast.
Promotion is nearly impossible in practice. It depends almost entirely on whether your specific manager chooses to advocate for you, and most do not. There is also a noticeable pattern of differential treatment toward foreign employees, particularly in the Prague and Brno offices. Engineers who are not local are held to different — and often less favorable — standards, which creates an uncomfortable and demotivating environment.
