Left after I was told they didn't want a non-Brit in a public facing role - Middle Manager Ordnance Survey Employee Review

1.0
28 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The brand has a massive legacy and the work itself can be technically interesting, which is why people with PhDs and advanced degrees are drawn there initially.

Cons

- Management in Product and Engineering is abysmal. Many leaders are incompetent and self-serving, frequently wasting company resources on travel whilst the actual workforce is stuck with low salaries. - There is a shocking disconnect between the level of education required and the pay provided. It was common to see colleagues with PhDs and Masters degrees living in council housing in and around Southampton because the pay is so poor. - There is zero job security. The organisation goes through frequent restructurings where you are forced to re-apply for your own job just to stay employed. - I witnessed deep-seated institutional bias. I finally quit after applying for a role and being told I was rejected because they didn't want a non-British person to be the "public face" of the initiative. I was told I didn't "represent" a centuries-old institution. - The culture is focused more on maintaining an outdated image than on valuing the expertise and diversity of the people who actually build the products.

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Ordnance Survey Response
1mo
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We genuinely appreciate hearing from current and former colleagues, even when the experience hasn’t been a positive one. It’s encouraging to hear that you recognise the strength of our heritage and the technical nature of the work we do those are things we’re proud of. That said, it’s clear from your comments that there are areas where your experience did not meet expectations, particularly around leadership, pay, job security, and inclusion. These are all areas we take seriously and continue to review as part of our ongoing organisational and cultural development. We’re especially concerned to read your comments regarding bias and representation. Creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and able to thrive is fundamental to us, and what you’ve described does not reflect the standards we aim to uphold. We would really welcome the opportunity to better understand your experience in more detail. If you’re open to it, please do reach out to us at careers@os.uk so we can arrange a confidential conversation. Your insight would be incredibly valuable in helping us learn and improve. Thank you again for sharing your perspective we’re committed to listening and making meaningful changes where needed.

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Cons

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Pros

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