Great Mission, Wrong Execution - Technical Member Enoda Employee Review

1.0
Apr 23, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Big, Bold Mission: Enoda’s mission to redesign the energy system, is undeniably exciting and meaningful. The kind of mission that draws people in with genuine hope to contribute to real-world impact. Rapid Learning Curve: Like many startups, you’re thrown in the deep end. You’ll learn a lot quickly, often by necessity, wearing multiple hats. High Compensation: Salaries are notably above market average, and this can be attractive for candidates, though many later realize it comes at a cost. Smart Individuals: There’s no shortage of bright minds within the team, but unfortunately, they are rarely the ones making decisions or getting promoted.

Cons

Proximity Over Performance: Promotions and influence are given not to those who deliver value, but to those who maintain close relationships with leadership and echo their viewpoints. If you quietly deliver results or raise uncomfortable truths, you’ll likely be overlooked or even pushed out. No Space for Realism or Feedback: The culture is not just resistant to criticism, it actively punishes honesty. Constructive feedback is often reframed as “not being aligned with the vision,” and people who speak up are gradually excluded from important conversations. Visa Sponsorship as Leverage: The company offers visa sponsorship, but this has created a troubling power imbalance. Sponsored employees often feel trapped, tolerating poor treatment or unrealistic demands because the risk of losing sponsorship, and legal working status is too high. It’s an unspoken pressure that undermines fairness and wellbeing. Lack of Transparency in Investment & Financial Realities: One of the most troubling aspects is how investment-related challenges are quietly hidden from employees and even potential collaborators. Enoda maintains an external image of strength and security, while internally financial constraints and funding issues are growing. These cracks are not shared openly, creating a misleading sense of stability. Unrealistic Long-Term Plans at the Expense of Current Problems: Instead of addressing pressing operational issues, such as team dysfunction, delivery blockers, or internal inefficiencies, leadership remains fixated on lofty long-term visions. This obsession with “the big picture” comes at the cost of solving today’s real, growing problems, which are piling up and being ignored. Disconnection from Execution Reality: Senior leadership often seems unaware (or uninterested) in the actual state of delivery, team health, or internal blockers. Strategic plans are developed in a vacuum and handed down with little context, often without considering whether the organization is capable or willing to deliver them. Psychological Safety Is Nonexistent: If you want to grow by speaking your mind, suggesting improvements, or pointing out flaws, this might not be the place for you. The environment doesn’t foster trust, it rewards obedience and silence.

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Enoda Response
1y
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review . We appreciate you have drawn out some positive aspects. We indeed have a big vision and global mission. We aim to pay in the higher percentile for the best talent. The cost is hard work, we do not deny this. We have a brilliant team who provide valuable inputs to decision making. As you duly note, with any startup, there are “rapid learning curves” as we work to deliver first-of-a-kind technology. There appears to be a lack of understanding though, on the separation of responsibility and disclosure at board level, and what should be made transparent at a broader company level. The burden of responsibility for decision making and problem solving on some issues should not sit with the wider team. There are points we must disagree with as they misrepresent our way of responding to concerns. For example, you might have experienced that any technical concern raised can initiate hours of technical debate to bottom out the “truth” and resolve a decision. All legitimate views are seriously considered. Uncomfortable or not, we do not shy away from addressing concerns which impact our team safety, our customers, and the overall success of the mission. And in complete contrast to your comment – if anyone is looking for a role where you can be silent and simply obey instruction when you have insight you believe is at odds with that instruction, this is absolutely not the right place for you. When we launched in 2021, we had a structure that worked for our zero-to-one phase and we worked at speed to build and expand the team as necessary. As you would expect, the organisation needed to evolve which is why we have just rolled out a revised structure for the technical team. Alongside this we have a new career framework project launching to support and communicate career progression at ENODA. We are confident that these changes will alleviate some of the stress the team has been feeling, as well as foster a more collaborative, open working culture, setting us up for further success. As part of the change process, we have regularly communicated ways in which the team can feedback and ask questions, whether drop-in sessions, messages to the Founders or even anonymous feedback. As explained in our all-employee Townhall meeting at the start of 2025, all updates pertaining to the business plan will be given in quarterly Townhalls. Our next Townhall will be happening this month and employees have the opportunity to ask any questions either by sending them in advance through our feedback portal, or by asking them live at the event. We take all your feedback seriously and your comments will be shared with the senior leadership team, as well as the new technical leadership team.

Explore other reviews about Enoda

5.0
Jul 8, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Best salaries in market, opportunity to work on new technology.

Cons

N/a, no cons, best place

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Enoda Response
10mo
We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review and are pleased to see that you're enjoying working on first-of-a-kind technology!
5.0
Jan 14, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

It's a challenging environment, in the best sense of the word. We are literally re-inventing the electric grid. I get to apply everything I learned at uni and thought I would never need, and every bit of experience I gained after that, on a daily basis. I am encouraged to come up with novel solutions and show that they work, from first principles. I am encouraged to venture beyond the domains I have worked in in the past, and fill the gaps in my knowledge. I am encouraged to take calculated risks, based on the incomplete information we have - because where we are going, no one has gone before.

Cons

For me personally, the work I do at Enoda is the opportunity of a lifetime, so I don't really have any Cons to list - but depending on what a "job" means to you, you could interpret everything I've written under Pros to be a Con. Will you thrive in an environment with few certainties? Can you overcome challenges that take everything you got, and then some? Can you work in an environment where authority is not based on rank or job title, but on the soundness of your argument? Can you work against tight deadlines, make the trade-offs that come with it, and keep going until you reach your point of diminishing returns?

5
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Enoda Response
2y
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We appreciate your feedback.
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