Terrible At Software - Senior Software Engineer Philips Employee Review

2.0
12 Sept 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Reasonable benefits, interesting product domains.

Cons

The leadership of Philips believes that making software is similar to manufacturing devices. Whenever something goes wrong in the software group (or even if it doesn't) the predictable answers are to 1) fire someone 2) hire someone or 3) add a new "process" Although I happen to have met many software quality engineers at Philips, I think management was poor at rewarding them, listening to them, and hiring them. The worst and most troubling condition is that the leadership is not good at its essential task, which is product vision. They haven't envisioned an industry-leading product in any of the segments they're targeting. Every product is "me, too" and Philips as company is coasting on the basis of its market position as one of the few manufacturers of large hospital modalities, which long ago locked in many hospitals to its radiology information system. When the "me-too" strategy fails to enflame Philip's customers' imaginations, development is blamed. In fact, whatever the issue, development is blamed. Development is low man on the totem pole at Philips. I wasn't going to write this review, but they did something petty and annoying after I quit. Since I quit within the first year of hire, I had to pay back my signing bonus. Which I had no problem doing. I left my mailing address and contact information with them, and was promised to receive a letter with payment instructions. But instead of sending me a normal invoice, they put me directly into collection! This impacted my FICO score. It's such a petty malice (or gross incompetence) that I've changed my mind and I'm telling the truth. Don't work for this company if you can find better!

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Philips Response
8y
Hi there, We’d first like to thank you for sharing your feedback on Philips as an employer. Please don’t hesitate about reviewing our brand, we think transparency is very important in order to bring certain topics to our attention. It sounds like you didn’t feel you were properly treated and we regret hearing that a lot. Please know that your hard work while working for Philips was appreciated and we wish you the best in your professional career. Thanks again and we wish you all the best.

Explore other reviews about Philips

5.0
11 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Work life balance, pay, opportunities

Cons

Slow moving industry, management style

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Philips Response
2d
Thank you for sharing your perspective and for your ongoing dedication to our organization. We acknowledge the feedback regarding internal organizational dynamics. As a leader in a heavily regulated and critical sector, we remain fully focused on process optimization, streamlining decision-making, and enhancing leadership alignment to cultivate a highly agile environment for our teams worldwide. We encourage you to reach out to HR or your manager for an open discussion regarding your feedback, and we appreciate your continued contributions to our shared mission.
2.0
8 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Easy commute if you live north of Seattle/Bellevue - Decent cafeteria - Decent compensation

Cons

- The level of apathy amongst colleagues is off the charts. Many people are simply coasting and collecting a paycheck. When you try to be a team player and pick up the slack, you simply become a target for blame. - Due to the extremely lax "return to office" policy, the office often feels quite empty when there is plenty of work to be done. Being onsite M-F often leads to more work with little support. - There is a culture of public shaming, with several meetings every week dedicated to project leads targeting individuals to make up for their own lack of technical understanding.

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Philips Response
4d
Thank you for sharing your perspective and for your multi-year dedication to our organization. We are pleased to hear that our competitive total rewards, inclusive workplace culture, and focus on flexibility have contributed positively to your employee experience. We acknowledge the feedback regarding organizational dynamics and the impact of structural changes on team sentiment. As we adapt to evolving market demands, we remain focused on change management optimization, enhancing transparent internal communication, and building long-term stability across our business units. We encourage you to reach out to HR or your manager for a discussion regarding your feedback. Once again, we appreciate your continued contributions to the team.
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