Far too Corporate, Disorganised, Political - Software Engineer Autodesk Employee Review

3.0
Sep 5, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Global company with the opportunity to work on large projects and huge, renowned applications used by 10s of 1000s of people+ Access to great hardware and tools. Often a high degree of autonomy, but that may differ from office to office.

Cons

Lots of poor decision making - i.e. making a decision without understanding the impact; trying to implement global change without a strategy. I've never worked anywhere with so many politics. It depends on who you work for and who they work for as to whether you can be given a raise or a promoted. The standing of an office depends on the products it produces and how they are valued. There's a lot of posturing going on because: multiple teams are developing competing products or services (which shouldn't be happening); because acquisitions have been made of poor products but backed by senior people who do not wish these bad choices to be highlighted. I've seen people sidelined or fired for saying the wrong thing, defending the wrong team, or for being associated with the wrong product. Generally the levels of management make enacting change or having an impact can be impossible. Given the scale of the organisation there is a lot of waster and a lot of poor execution of the vision of senior management. The company is able to make huge mistakes and survive because it has a monopoly on many areas and is making such a huge amount of money, where a smaller company would crash and burn. It can also be lost in translation as to which team is responsible for a success or failure and much of that is by design.

Explore other reviews about Autodesk

5.0
Jun 1, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good WLB Low Turnover Rates Interesting Projects/Work Full Benefits + 401k

Cons

Medium Pay, Not Amazing Stock Packages

5.0
May 27, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Autodesk has, hands down, one of the warmest and most supportive corporate cultures I’ve ever experienced. From day one, people were welcoming, respectful, kind, and genuinely available to help. Even as a contract worker, I never felt like an outsider. I felt included, trusted, and treated like part of the team. The marketing team was an incredible group: collaborative, smart, generous with their time, and always willing to answer questions. Autodesk also has a true teaching culture. You never feel silly for asking questions, and there is a clear willingness across teams to help people learn, improve, and succeed. Operationally, the company was also impressively efficient. The technology, meeting tools, scheduling systems, and general workflows made it easy to connect with people, set appointments, collaborate, and keep work moving without unnecessary friction. Overall, Autodesk set the bar for what a healthy corporate culture can feel like: organized, human, respectful, inclusive, and genuinely collaborative. Pros: Warm culture, helpful people, strong tools and technology, respectful teams, inclusive environment, great marketing organization.

Cons

As a contractor, I only wish the experience had been longer.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All