Toxic environment and impossible deadlines - Software Engineer Koala Employee Review

2.0
8 Dec 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

• Remote working is possible. • Some people are great to work with. • Project ownership.

Cons

• Management is toxic. • Work-life balance is non-existent, you get a random message from people at 9 pm on a Sunday regularly and you are expected to respond or work. • As long as you suck up to the right people you have a job, but almost every week someone randomly gets fired along with a lazy templated and generic email notification to the rest of the team... You can imagine the culture. • CEO's mentality is to hire the right people for the right stage of the company, he doesn't seem to believe in staff growth, your job is never safe here.

Explore other reviews about Koala

5.0
8 July 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The product and the team are amazing

Cons

More investment on design and UI

4.0
26 July 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Working with the US team has been an incredibly rewarding experience - Although the company is still in its early stages here in the US, it has that energetic "startup" vibe, which makes every day feel fresh and full of potential. There’s a strong sense of building something from the ground up, and this has allowed myself and my team members to take on more ownership and contribute directly to shaping processes and driving projects forward. The leadership gives us the flexibility to innovate and move quickly, which is a huge motivator. I’ve been able to fast-track initiatives and implement solutions without feeling restricted (within bounds), which has helped heaps with both my personal growth and the company’s progress. The full team is supportive and collaborative - creating a positive and uplifting atmosphere.

Cons

While the freedom to build the foundation of key initiatives without too many restrictions is a great aspect of the role, the fast-paced environment and low downtime sometimes result in a lack of consistent support from management. While the upside is that this pace prevents projects from being slowed down, it can also leave you without clear metrics or specific guidelines. This ambiguity occasionally leads to overthinking or overcomplicating tasks in an effort to ensure that everything is done properly, which can be challenging without clearer direction.

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