Agoda

Modern office environment. Office location. 2 days per week work from office policy (soon to be 3 days per week as per some rumors) (hybrid / remote). A/B test experiment driven software development. Relatively modern tech being used. International environment with many Asians and Europeans.

The company places the highest value on offering the lowest price, often at the expense of other priorities.

Product quality and user experience are not key focus areas. This is reflected in everyday design, code, and documentation decisions.

Strong software engineering practices are not consistently followed or encouraged. New joiners may feel surprised by the gap between expectations—shaped by the company’s scale and public image—and the actual engineering culture. Over time, this can lead to a sense of stagnation, where learning slows and navigating internal politics becomes more important than technical growth.

Velocity is prioritized over quality, largely because it's easier to measure. The focus on speed is visible in how work is planned and reviewed, though high bug counts and recurring product issues paint a different picture of quality.

Providing thoughtful, critical feedback during code reviews can be challenging. Such input may be met with resistance or lengthy debate, and reviewers risk being perceived as slowing others down—raising questions about the real meaning of “ownership” as promoted by leadership.

The level of involvement from engineering managers varies significantly. Some avoid technical oversight, citing a lack of expertise, and rely entirely on engineers to uphold standards. But when engineers are also focused more on speed than quality, the result can be underwhelming. This disconnect undermines the idea of shared ownership.

In some teams, communication and technical skills are average, while political skills are more developed. Disagreements during design or code reviews can quietly turn into negative feedback, impacting performance evaluations. This can be demotivating and may gradually shift one’s mindset from contributing meaningfully to simply navigating internal dynamics—or even planning an exit.

Promotions come with minimal raises—typically less than 5%—which limits the financial incentive for long-term growth.

Encourage mid-level managers to take greater responsibility for the quality of code, design, and documentation delivered by their teams. Provide them with the support and training needed to understand what true ownership looks like in day-to-day work—not just through their own actions, but also by actively supporting team members who raise concerns or highlight issues in engineering practices and processes.