What can I say that already isn't mentioned from the heyday of RBC Ventures. When I first started, I didn't want to believe negative Glassdoor comments, I just assumed these were comments from bitter ex-employees. But everything they said is true.
So much has changed at "RBCx" formerly "RBC Ventures", which the bank has brilliantly killed and re-branded over the last 1-2 years. All the original exec team slowly and strategically left far before they officially re-branded. It's all optics and deception. All the people on the exec team are essentially RBCx friends now.
Most of the ventures have been sunsetted to no one's surprise. All that's left from the original ventures is Dr. Bill, Mydoh, Ownr, and OJO (now Houseful]. So many people have been secretly laid off, that often you just wonder where so and so went until you see they are 'open to work' on Linkedin. The culture at each venture went from open and collaborative, to more cut-throat. Each project or endeavor feels like a huge pivot aimed at impossible-to-reach goals, and each venture is just profitable enough to remain afloat, at least for now. They are either outclassed by most of their competitors or struggling to provide true long-term value to their clients. The bank has tightened the noose and teams are scrambling at the helm to keep their ventures from capsizing.
Behind closed doors, all the higher-ups and younger ambitious career professionals (future higher-ups in the making) are egotistical sharks. They will throw you or each other under the bus when they can, hide information, steal projects, openly compete with star colleagues, and kiss the a%% of their higher-ups. It makes me sick to my stomach. It's all about politics; politics trump true innovation.
It's a dog-eat-dog environment behind the sycophantic smiles, no one is your actual friend unless you are invited into one of the many cliques that naturally form. As much as they tout their aims at diversity, I've never felt more isolated and culturally out of the loop in a professional setting than at this place. Most people (myself included) stick with others who look more like them: it's like high school where every group feverishly gossips but remains deathly silent amongst higher-ups. The tension is palpable.
It's all about favoritism too, but works formulaically:
1. If you're well-liked, you will get promoted and win all the awards.
2. If you do your job well and stay quiet, you get rewarded with more work. Also, receive 1-2 group awards along with 10 other people per award, per fiscal year if you're lucky.
3. If you do your job well, win awards, and are well-liked, you will get promoted faster than you deserve but you 100% are doing your supervisor's job at your current salary, until you're on the cusp of burnout. But don't worry, you will win another meaningless award.
Use those vacation days wisely!
