1) "Pretend Flat" culture: The company claims to embrace a non-hierarchical organizational culture, but in reality, hierarchy is evident. The lack of clarity around this flatness leads to unnecessary power struggles.
2) Job overselling: In some instances, promises made during job interviews were not fulfilled, and there seemed to be no intention to honor these commitments.
3) Limited career growth: Career development was uneven, with some employees easily obtaining promotions through simple requests, while others faced vague set-to-fail tasks and unreasonably extended waiting periods. Advancement opportunities often appeared to arise often when a supervisor left, or after layoffs, seemingly as a retention strategy.
4) A strange dissonance: This is a bit challenging to put into words. It's like experiencing a discordant symphony. I mean those instances where you find yourself asking, 'Did that really just happen?' It's when someone's words and actions don't align with what you've been told or with the norms of the workplace. You know, those moments when someone tells you, "These aren't the droids you're looking for", when the droids are right there, in front of you. It's difficult to convey, but there were moments when I felt I must be somehow disconnected from reality ...didn't even have to wear a headset for that. From all the cons, the regular appearances of this dissonance were probably the ones that were the most unsettling.
5) DEI concerns: Some female colleagues shared experiencing unequal treatment and dissatisfaction, often feeling as though they were perceived as less qualified than their actual qualifications. Some mentioned experiences of losing self-confidence and beginning to doubt their qualifications, leaving them to question whether they had just overestimated their abilities for all these years. If it was only one case, I could understand. But sadly, it was more than one. I never heard this from male colleagues.
6) Handling of layoffs: Some parts (not all) of the recent layoffs weren't managed so well, with employees needing to work long hours to secure a product launch, only to be laid off just before Christmas/holiday season without a severance package.
In a nutshell, Varjo has the potential to be a great fit for some. It certainly has its strengths, some great people, and for those accustomed to run-of-the-mill workplaces, it may initially appear like a dream come true. However, there are those aforementioned drawbacks that can have a significant negative impact on one's well-being. But, there are good people. You decide for yourself. Maybe it works for you!
