Autonomy – “Unique challenging culture but not for someone interested in quality of life”

Pros

Autonomy tends to hire intelligent, hard working employees that are willing to adapt to the unique corporate culture. Employees will be exposed to many aspects of the business and provided with a lot of responsibility and opportunity to prove oneself.

Cons

Autonomy is a very reactionary company that puts more time and money into marketing and corporate perception than it does into product development and customer care. In general there is a culture of winning at all costs with little concern about business ethics or employee welfare. Employees will be expected to stretch the truth or outright lie in order to win a deal, which seems to happen more often than not.

Having joined the company through an acquisition, I can say that it's an uphill battle for anyone not hired directly by Autonomy. It is assumed that you are beneath Autonomy's standard of excellence until you prove otherwise (if you're even given the chance). I have seen the majority of my coworkers be let go or driven out with no plan to hire replacements, leaving the remaining employees to pick up the work. If you don't take a big gulp of the Kool-Aid and step in line you won't last long at Autonomy.

Advice to Senior Management

Show some concern and proactive effort in improving the quality of life for employees. Initiate some sort of performance review to allow for feedback to flow both directions. Compensation adjustments, bonuses, and option grants have no rhyme or reason to them and seem completely subjective.