Not Designed for Growth (Specially for Expats) - Recensione dipendente - Senior Software Engineer presso Zalando

- Decision-making around project feasibility is heavily influenced by internal politics; whether an initiative moves forward often depends more on who proposed it than on objective business value or technical merit. - Advancement up the career ladder is characterised by significant ambiguity and political manoeuvring, making progression feel neither transparent nor merit-based. - Professional growth opportunities appear disproportionately accessible to German colleagues, while non-German employees are frequently undervalued, underutilised, or relegated to supporting roles that primarily serve to elevate the visibility and achievements of others. - There are notable double standards in how contributions are assessed—performance and impact tend to be interpreted through the lens of managerial favoritism, resulting in either inflated praise or undue minimisation depending on the relationship. - The performance review process is deeply politicised and is, at times, perceived as a mechanism for exerting control or penalising employees rather than as a genuine tool for development. - Formal escalations rarely lead to meaningful action or improvement, particularly when concerns involve one’s direct manager, leaving employees feeling unsupported and vulnerable. - A significant number of colleagues have chosen to leave the company due to frustration with opaque and politically charged performance review cycles, underscoring systemic issues with transparency and fairness. - Disagreeing with a manager, even politely and with evidence, can trigger retaliatory behavior, with the review process used as a mechanism for punishment. - Leadership and management appear to operate as a homogenous “boys’ club,” with selection seemingly driven by personal affinity and similarity rather than demonstrated capability, despite the company’s public commitment to diversity and meritocracy. - Diversity and inclusion efforts appear performative rather than substantive, with initiatives often lacking follow-through or failing to address the underlying cultural issues that disadvantage non-majority employees.