Pathetic CTO engg leadership, be careful - Solutions Architect Barclays Employee Review

Barclays Bank has created a deeply demoralising work culture where promotions are not driven by merit, effort, or actual contribution. What is most disturbing is the extreme and opaque diversity bias in promotions. Even when male and female employees stand at the same performance level, the outcome is almost pre-decided: diversity-only female roles are promoted regardless of business impact or merit, while hard-working male employees are left frustrated and ignored. The system is heavily tilted. Diversity candidates are hand-held with mentors, coached step-by-step to build promotion business cases, and guided throughout the process. On the other hand, male employees are kept completely in the dark, expected to somehow “figure it out” despite delivering consistently and sacrificing personal well-being. It creates resentment, burnout, and a complete loss of trust in leadership. The behaviour at D and MD levels is equally unethical and arrogant. Senior executives respond selectively based on hierarchy, not relevance or urgency. If you are not at a D or MD grade, your emails, chats, and meeting invites are routinely ignored, no matter how critical the issue. This top-down disrespect signals that values like openness, collaboration, and leadership accountability simply do not exist here. For genuinely hard-working professionals who want to add value, learn, and grow honestly, this bank can be career-damaging. Your effort will not be rewarded, your voice will not be heard, and your integrity may eventually be tested. The situation is worsened further by the Oracle team and its leadership, which is arguably the weakest function in the organisation. They consistently avoid their core responsibilities, deflect ownership, delay work endlessly, and yet face zero accountability. Despite repeated issues, nothing is done, reinforcing a culture where incompetence and avoidance are tolerated as long as politics are played well. In summary, XYZ Bank is suitable only for people who are good at politics, selective visibility, work avoidance, and hierarchy worship. If you believe in merit, accountability, ethical leadership, and real performance-based growth, look for another bank or company—this place will drain your motivation and self-respect over time.