Expedia Group

Most often, a pretty decent work-life balance. The office is pretty empty by 6 pm. Good benefits.

I expected the politicking to be better than at other employers where you're rewarded for how well you can promote yourself rather than actual work accomplished. I was assured that the formal review process isn't a big deal and people just all work together against common goals, choosing the best technology. Unfortunately, I was in for some big surprises.

At Expedia, project-related metrics are ignored to promote oneself or put down other honest, hard workers. Many levels of management buy into this game, and HR is often involved in telling employees what they have done wrong. There is no feedback loop. I've seen many cases where no notice or interaction was given that complaints were being made. One day you're fine; the next day, you're on a chopping list. And once you find out, it's too late.

Entire teams have stolen credit for work they didn't do and have also shifted the blame for their own mistakes. Senior management is acquiescent of these practices.

Bellevue headquarters suffers from overcrowding. The bullpens went from bad to worse when 20-30 people wasn't dense enough; more walls were knocked down to accommodate up to 80. Even directors lost their offices. This indicates the value Expedia places on employees.

Look at your turnover rates. Try to retain talent by treating people like people, not commodities. Enable transparency at all levels. Eliminate back-door politics and stop rewarding nay-sayers.