Declining Culture - Anonymous employee Ippon Employee Review

2.0
26 July 2023
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Ippon had a fantastic culture in the US for several years now; it's what enticed talent to choose working for them. Unfortunately, this has changed significantly over the past 8 months. They allow a hybrid work schedule and lots of growth for Engineers only.

Cons

It's very much a boy's club culture at Ippon. It's a declining culture overall that has shifted significantly since the owner from France has relocated to the US to "help grow the company" which is extremely unfortunate. They do provide fun outings from time to time for employees, but the transparency and trust in which the prided themselves, is gone. There are no growth opportunities or investing in employees who are a part of the staff. I once asked my manager at the time if there were growth opportunities for me and he told me "no, the only growth is my job and I am not going anywhere." They also do not pay market rate for engineers in other locations outside of Richmond VA. Company has gone through 2 rounds of layoffs in 2023 so far, with employees slowly bleeding out due to the above mentioned reasons.

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Ippon Response
2y
Dear Anonymous Employee, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We deeply value the perspectives and experiences of all our employees and acknowledge the importance of maintaining a positive and inclusive workplace culture. We're glad to hear that you appreciate the hybrid work schedule and growth opportunities for our engineers. Our goal has always been to create an environment that fosters innovation, flexibility, and personal growth. Your concerns regarding the perceived shift in our company culture are deeply troubling to us. We take pride in promoting an inclusive and transparent work environment, and we regret to hear that some of your experiences deviate from our intended vision. We recognize the importance of growth opportunities for all team members across departments, and the comment you've shared from your manager is not reflective of our overarching company philosophy. While it's true that we've faced challenges this year, including the difficult decision of layoffs, our aim is to navigate these times with respect and support for our staff. Regarding pay scales, we continually assess market rates to ensure that we remain fair. Your advice to management regarding allowing department heads to operate autonomously is well-taken. Micromanagement is not a practice we advocate for, and it's essential that we trust and leverage the expertise of those we've hired. Furthermore, we understand the significance of investing in our staff beyond the technical teams. As we move forward, we'll continue to work towards building a culture where all voices are heard, and every employee feels valued. In conclusion, we genuinely appreciate your feedback. We are committed to learning from these insights and making necessary adjustments to enhance the Ippon experience for everyone.

Explore other reviews about Ippon

5.0
24 Sept 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good work life balancw within company

Cons

Low salary, slow career trajectory, benefits are meh

3.0
21 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Pros - The people who are still there are talented and good to work with — what's left of them. - The original culture and attitude made it sound like a great place to work

Cons

Cons - Culture is dead. - 4–5 rounds of layoffs in 3 years at a company this small, accompanied by a steady exodus of strong engineers. That trend is the clearest signal you can get about the state of leadership. - Leadership has stopped pretending to care about employees. There's no camaraderie left and no real effort to build any. - They'll drop you in a heartbeat. - Pay is below market and there have been no real raises or bonus payouts in years. You're expected to absorb the risk of working at a small company without any of the upside. - You'll constantly be told to "overdeliver" while being told to do 10 other things outside of client work.

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