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Culture and Career

Software Engineer
Current Employee
Has worked at American Express for 2 years
October 3, 2023
3.0
Doesn't RecommendNeutral OutlookNo CEO Opinion
Pros

Offer food credit up to $15 in the cafeteria.

Office in NYC, NY and Phoenix, AZ.

Offers remote positions.

Trying to modernize with some focus on industry standards.

Cons

The entire company is 70% Indian contractor and 30% full-time employee, which means a lack of diversity and cultural differences.

Technology is not prioritized because this is a non-tech company.

Teams have weak leadership due to tech leads being contractors who can come and go at any notice. When I joined, there was no Senior Engineer.

Full software development cycle is not usually followed, lacking documentation and testing standards.

Growth is not a focus here as compared to US startup companies. The overall company moves very slowly in terms of work given, with unclear objectives.

Advice to Management

It's important to work as a team. With many contractors and employees making up the organization, it can be hard to do that. Having defined team values should be a major focus, with a priority on helping each other achieve business goals, not simply one person completing a goal.

Lastly and most importantly, take into account the goals of employees. Being stuck or working on a project that has zero connection to a person's motivation will cause de-motivation and reduced productivity.

Here's an example:

  • If an employee states that they have previous experience in a full-stack project and can help out with goals in that area, but is currently working in a backend-only role, then try to find some work that relates to that.
  • Do not oversell your organization. If you do not have roles for "full-stack" positions, do not market your organization as having "full-stack" roles.

Additional Ratings

Work/Life Balance
4.0
Culture and Values
3.0
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
2.0
Career Opportunities
3.0
Compensation and Benefits
3.0
Senior Management
3.0

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