Most of the cons on this list can be attributed to growing pains. We started out pretty small, and have grown exponentially in the last 5 years.
- Sometimes, I'm not sure who "owns" what, and there aren't clear boundaries between teams. Sometimes I don't know who my boss is and who to listen to when I get conflicting directions from different members of management or from other teams.
- There have been a number of HR issues in the years I've been here, with no clear pathway to address serious issues. Everyday sexism is always an issue in tech, and it's definitely one here. We did win an award as being one of the best workplaces for women. However, the questions on that survey mostly regarded how well the company abides by the law in regards to equal pay, growth opportunities, etc. While that still puts us ahead of most tech companies, we have a long way to go if we want to be as competitive as larger companies in this area. Having a clear HR process would help that a lot. The non-HR process issue has been raised with at least one member of top management by multiple people on multiple occasions, but there hasn't been any action taken to put one in place. It's disappointing that they don't consider it a priority.
I think this issue arises from BSI being a really fun-focused, casual work environment. Unfortunately, some people take that as permission to make jokes and share derisive opinions about minority, LGBT, or other disenfranchised groups. (Two people dressed up as a before-and-after transgender celebrity for Halloween, and I've heard disparaging remarks about LGBT people, "women in the workplace," and racial minority groups). It happens on the middle-management & team member level, and while it's definitely not endorsed by the top management, it's not prevented or addressed, either. Expecting everyone to be professional and inclusive isn't enough, since everyone's idea about what is professional and inclusive varies.