GXS Bank Reviews

3.3

40% would recommend to a friend

(72 total reviews)

Charles Wong

62% approve of CEO

41% positive business outlook

GXS Bank has an employee rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars, based on 72 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The GXS Bank employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Finance industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

72 reviews
1.0
17 Dec 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

GXS is a good opportunity, in theory. A blank-slate to "redefine" banking, and a grand mission to "serve the underserved". In its much earlier days, the culture and team also reflected this appetite. GXS provides a nice new office, comfy pay, and (again in its earlier days) enough proximity to that sort of 'mission-minded' org that you can sleep at night genuinely feeling that you're doing the right things. Because of the above, GXS still attracts a decent number of 'hopeful' and genuinely 'purpose-driven' individuals, especially at the lower grades, and there's a fair chance you'll meet some nice individuals at your peer level that you'll be able to hold onto even after your tenure at GXS ends.

Cons

What you see as "opportunity" will forever be that - “opportunity”. GXS' chance at being genuinely interesting / innovative / good is catastrophically let down by astonishingly poor mid and upper-management hiring choices. It cannot be overstated how toxic a large % of GXS' management is. Petty arguing, finger-pointing, blame, grown adults almost comically stepping on each others' heads in meetings to claim credit WHILE simultaneously tearing down their own subordinates, making personal attacks, throwing buzzwords around and chasing ever bigger titles for themselves without any demonstrable ability nor accountability to get even the small simple things right. Discussions are always first and foremost about "who", and never "why". (Unless you find winning at politics a good reason to come to work) In my tenure, I observed a dramatic culture shift to new management who actively rejected questions, critique and progress. Gaslighting became an everyday experience in conversations with heads. Important information is hidden: the only real frequent creative act is spinning bad news into all shapes (other than the truth). Claimed convictions about "what’s right for customers" flops the moment a meeting gets slightly inconvenient. These are managers who unfortunately pursue LinkedIn personas over any actual ability to imagine, problem-solve, support, nor value-add to their teams (who were sometimes actually passionate and decent people). GXS has become every corporate-hell meme, except done unironically and without accountability. As mentioned in other reviews here, senior management brushes these issues off, leaving managers to manage themselves (really) and ensuring the behaviour of the few in-power is solidified into permanent culture for the many. I experienced a literal 100% turnover of my team (all good people who quit on principle), but to this day with zero accountability on the management individuals that caused it. Instead, those good people have all become convenient scapegoats in toxic narratives where “they couldn't hack it in our competitive environment etc", and their managers' culture persists and enables itself. In a particularly striking all-company session, our leadership addressed bubbling-over anger over poor management with advice to simply post more positive reviews on glassdoor : ' ) As respectable, principled individuals who joined on purpose and passion move on, leaders replace them with others like themselves with agendas other than good, or usually juniors to more easily mislead / manipulate. Beyond the reviews on glassdoor alone, GXS actually publicly tells the rest of the story quite clearly for itself. In three years, our understanding of customers has failed to move beyond "ppl need faster ways to (buy my product)" - arrogant and disinterested assumptions that work conveniently for our narrative and our loan-book. We've made things purple and used a lot of stock images of young people... and also somehow managed to make everything about ourselves, corporate agenda barely-hidden behind disingenuous "we care!". We don't actually measure ourselves by how many people we genuinely help. In a world of rich and dynamic digital experiences, we've managed to publish an app with such uninspired design and .ppt interactions it wouldn't have passed as a class project. (But it's "simple!" we'll be forced to report back) None of this is the fault of talent, which GXS had, but middle management who regularly fail to engage with research, who settle for and insist on generic easy answers, who actively crush creativity and collaboration -- making excuses alongside actively anti-consumer decisions like hiding mechanics, obscuring facts and rug-pulling promises that remove any chance at ever doing the right thing for our customers (see our customers talk about this on Reddit). As someone who joined for a mission, it is heartbreaking to see us do everything we said we wouldn't. Aspiring design practitioners considering GXS should be particularly aware here, given you will now be in an environment that has never seen, supported, understood nor delivered on great design. If you feel strongly about a particular experience, your need to solve real problems for real humans, or to protect your users on principle... know that products will ship regardless of research, and real users are actively today falling into debt because we failed to protect them. (But we will only publish that our loans are indeed "frictionless"!) Principles you craft to protect your users are (1) never asked for, nor meaningfully engaged with by your leaders, and (2) regularly bulldozed away when they become inconvenient to your management's personal agenda of making more screens. Creative flair (or just doing the right thing) needs to be justified to leadership so uninspired that your will to make genuinely good things (and to live) will expire before you succeed. This is why our product is now so uninspired you’ll even find typos in our release-notes. You will make many things purple, but never truly purposeful - and it will not be your fault, though your leaders will do their best to make it seem like it is. There are truly endless anecdotes like this, but the single picture is clear across it all: Despite what it claims, the only people GXS is currently and will ever serve this way is itself, and the managers who can use enough big words to glaze people's eyes over and make things 100X more complicated, and sometimes evil... But 100X! Regionally! Any good that has been done till date is at the expense of independent individuals standing up and doing it at great cost (and even punishment) to themselves, out of passion. Most are not there any more. The remnant do not plan to be for long, so opportunities for genuine mentorship / learning are limited too. Therefore, dear reader, join with your eyes open, if at all. Under the current leadership bench, it is not the company it once was nor claims to be. If you care deeply about your work, and more importantly HOW you go about your work beyond the flashy office and ‘vibe’, it's going to be a rough and disappointing ride.

1.0
26 Oct 2023

Management still has considerable work ahead

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Competitive pay, stocked pantry, well-funded company.

Cons

The Management Committee has deemed the 33 Glassdoor reviews, averaging a score of 2.2, within a 200-person company as an insufficient sample size. Conversely, our Group CEO argues that Glassdoor ratings predominantly stem from baseless employee gossip rather than intrinsic management issues, suggesting that dissatisfied employees should pursue other prospects. However, the stark truth remains that our Employee Engagement survey consistently yields scores in the 30s out of 100, highlighting an entrenched culture that many find to be exceedingly difficult. Consequently, numerous employees express a tangible eagerness to leave, simply waiting for the right opportunities to arise.

1.0
2 July 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This company offers remarkable staff benefits that greatly contribute to work-life balance and employee satisfaction. The flexible working hours and 60 days worldwide remote work program allow for a more manageable schedule and global work opportunities. The annual allowance supports personal development, while the comprehensive insurance coverage and co-pay program for dependents prioritize employee health and well-being. The well-equipped office facilities create a positive and professional work environment. Overall, the company's staff benefits demonstrate a strong commitment to employee welfare and contribute to a good work experience.

Cons

My first day at this company was filled with excitement and anticipation. The atmosphere was vibrant, and the team members seemed genuinely passionate about their work. However, my initial enthusiasm quickly turned into disappointment when new leaderships joined the organization. Unfortunately, the arrival of the new leadership marked a significant shift in the company's culture. What was once a positive and engaging work environment became a toxic cesspool of negativity. The new leadership style was authoritarian and dismissive, leading to a lack of trust and open communication among team members. Collaboration and teamwork suffered immensely, and the once-strong bonds within the team deteriorated rapidly. One of the most disheartening aspects of this toxic culture is the unfairness in recognition and promotion. Despite their exceptional dedication and hard work, deserving individuals are constantly overlooked, while those who contribute very little are rewarded with promotions and accolades. This demoralizing practice creates a sense of disillusionment and undermines the motivation and morale of hard-working employees. The lack of effective leadership is also evident in the decision-making process. Important choices are made without considering the valuable input and expertise of the team members who are directly involved. This not only leads to poor decisions but also fosters a feeling of frustration and powerlessness among the employees. It is disheartening to witness the disregard for the talents and capabilities of the team when it comes to shaping the direction of the company. Furthermore, the extreme disparity between effort and recognition is deeply discouraging. Employees who consistently go above and beyond to meet deadlines and exceed expectations are rarely acknowledged or rewarded for their dedication. This creates a demotivating environment where hard work goes unnoticed and unrewarded. It becomes increasingly challenging to maintain enthusiasm and commitment to the job under such circumstances. Despite the challenges posed by the toxic culture and ineffective leadership, I was fortunate to work alongside some incredibly talented colleagues. Their dedication, expertise, and willingness to go above and beyond taught me valuable lessons and pushed me to reach new heights. It was refreshing to witness their passion and commitment to their work, and their presence served as a source of inspiration. Unfortunately, it was disheartening to witness these talented individuals leave the company, one by one, due to the toxic culture and poor leadership. The management's lack of action in addressing the underlying issues only amplified the frustration felt by those who remained. It is perplexing to see such talented individuals, who could have contributed significantly to the company's success, walk away because of the negative work environment created by bad leadership. In conclusion, my initial positive experience at this company quickly deteriorated due to the toxic culture, unfair recognition practices, and ineffective leadership. It is my hope that the management recognizes these issues and takes immediate steps to rectify the situation. Otherwise, the company risks losing its most valuable and dedicated employees, tarnishing its reputation, and hindering its own growth and success.

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Glassdoor has 114 GXS Bank reviews submitted anonymously by GXS Bank employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if GXS Bank is right for you.