Very good company culture and vibes - Recensione dipendente - Backend Developer presso Contorion

The teams are generally supportive, international, and down-to-earth, which creates a positive working atmosphere. You get valuable exposure to end-to-end processes. From sourcing and product development to analytics and customer experience.

I had the worst team lead of my entire career. She lacked real expertise in key areas such as supply chain, sourcing processes, and category strategy, and her decisions created confusion and chaos, just as they had in her previous roles. From the first month onward, she was barely present. Our one-to-one meetings, lasted no longer than twenty minutes, always started late, and added no real value. I had to train and organize myself completely on my own. There was no onboarding structure or documentation. When I began handling suppliers, I barely received any historical background, no process overview, and no context for previous agreements. This lack of information caused unnecessary friction with suppliers and frustration across departments. Her leadership style was openly toxic and bullying. She often criticized and belittled former teammates in meetings and tried several times to put me on the spot in public Slack channels, seemingly to assert control rather than to solve problems. She showed little understanding of what I was actually working on, never took the time to learn about my projects, and rarely provided meaningful feedback. The few comments she made were shallow and generic. A major concern was her complete lack of data literacy. In e-commerce, the ability to interpret and use data is essential to assess performance and make informed decisions, yet she had no understanding of even basic analytical methods or tools, even calling them “a waste of time.” Ironically, she now uses one of the analytical reports I created, without any acknowledgment, as her main resource for daily work. By the time she went on maternity leave, the team’s morale had completely deteriorated. People were exhausted, unmotivated, and lacked any clear direction, often turning to other, much more competent team leads for guidance. The atmosphere had become tense and discouraging, and collaboration was almost non-existent. Talking about leaving the company and seeking new opportunities had become a regular topic of conversation among team members. After she returned from maternity leave, the situation worsened. Vacation planning was nearly impossible because she was incapable of providing any backup or coverage. Tasks and responsibilities changed constantly, and priorities were never clearly defined. She even dismissed an experienced colleague without a proper plan and repeatedly spoke poorly about her behind her back in front of me and other teammates. One of the most uncomfortable moments was when she completely ignored me during a physical retail event, as if I weren’t even there. I have never experienced such behavior in my professional life or as an adult and honestly did not know how to respond. Looking back, this experience was extremely disappointing but also eye-opening. It showed me how deeply leadership quality influences motivation, collaboration, and overall team performance. Despite the lack of structure and guidance, I continued to give my best and remain professional, even under difficult circumstances. It also reinforced my belief in the importance of transparent communication, respect, data-driven decision-making and compassion, values and aspects I intend to carry forward in every future role.

It can be an outstanding opportunity for growth and practical learning if you join the right team, but in the wrong one, it can quickly turn into a nighmare

No structured onboarding or background information on suppliers, forcing independent self-training. No data literacy or understanding of the analytical tools are being used , dismissing their value despite their importance. The overall work environment became increasingly toxic, marked by fear, favoritism, public humiliation, and a lack of psychological safety. There is no one in HR to go to when things turn sour.