Toxic leadership creating a high-stress work environment - Anonyms Employee Blocksi Employee Review

Minimum annual leave allowance (“regres”) and Christmas bonus every year; employees would probably not receive this if it wasn’t required by law. There are no other monetary benefits that you don’t have to work extremely hard to get, and even then it is questionable whether you will receive your bonus. The company relies heavily on cheap labor from Slovenian students who are not appreciated. The company has earned a bad reputation locally due to constant turnover and a toxic workplace. “Management” is basically one person, the CEO (leadership), and the company feels more like a CEO ego-driven project where all decisions depend on him. Layoffs are rare, mostly because people leave on their own. Communication from the CEO is sarcastic and at times humiliating, often framed as (poor) satirical jokes. The CEO enforces rules he makes up as he goes, changes them at will, and avoids accountability, with no constructive feedback or performance reviews. Situations where previously approved or discussed conversations and instructions are later dismissed are common, even when there is written proof, creating constant confusion about what has actually been agreed upon. Gaslighting and bullying are constant and exhausting. Every day is a rollercoaster, as you don’t know which version of the CEO you’re going to get: a relaxed, trying-to-be-relatable boss or a micromanaging/defensive one. Everything requires the CEO’s approval, who is also head and manager of every team, and promises like raises or promotions are often pushed aside to fit leadership agendas. There is zero autonomy, managers exist on paper but are often ignored since employees are told to go directly to the CEO, and teams and people are often played against each other. No remote work, except in selective cases approved by the CEO based on preference rather than any clear company policy, and HR provides no real support as they simply follow whatever the CEO instructs. Regarding the product, it has potential and a solid idea behind it, but with high turnover and a lot of work done by students, long-term stability is unlikely. The systems rely on outdated, “old-school” approaches that slow down development and maintenance, priorities are misaligned toward new features instead of technical debt, and projects that should take 1–2 months often take more than 8 months due to constant interruptions and rework. Finding information is slow, onboarding is basically non-existent, and understanding the system takes far longer than it should. Most negative reviews are accurate, and while it may work as a short-term option for students who want experience and can tolerate a chaotic environment, the first few months can feel positive but that does not last as leadership shows the reality. Spending time watching YouTube or playing chess during the workday is often the most practical option and what many employees (students) end up doing, as it is tolerated more than initiative or pushing ideas that could potentially threaten someone’s ego, and I would not recommend this company for full-time, long-term employment of more than two years.