Cons are pretty much entirely about the CEO. When he wasn't around the office was a great place to work and very productive.
- CEO is a sociopath, micromanages like crazy, sets unrealistic goals and puts insane amount of pressure and stress on staff. Doesn’t care about his staff, only results and lining his pockets. Constantly forgets what he wants, what he's said and goals every week, blames others for his own downfalls.
- Emotional manipulation is strong here. CEO regularly tries to manipulate staff into staying by saying they wouldn’t be able to get another job like this since they don’t speak Japanese. He likes to make it out as if he’s given them an opportunity of a lifetime.
- Parades as a “fun start up” and an “international company” but as soon as you start working there it suddenly switches to “this is a Japanese company, you’re in japan. Get used to it.” And operates more like a black company in some areas.
- CEO says there's no overtime, but you’ll be expected to do overtime even if it’s unnecessary just to “prove your loyalty to the company”. The senior staff/team members NEVER left on time.
- CEO lies about benefits like holidays and then penalises staff for questioning this. For example 3 day obon holiday was in the contract and received the year previously but in 2018 the ceo decided “18 days of paid holiday a year was too much and no company in japan would have that much paid holiday!” Then when staff were understandably upset about the revocation of holiday he went on a witch hunt to punish them for speaking against company policy.
- CEO threatens to withhold pay, fire staff, “ensure they won’t be able to find another job in japan.” If the staff don’t do exactly what he wants when they resign. He will only let you take your paid holiday when its convenient for him, and if you resign with paid holiday remaining, forget about it, it's gone forever.
- The staff turnover is extremely high, a big red flag.
- The team is amazing and filled with highly skilled young professionals. If it wasn’t for the CEO it would be a great place to work, but the ceo will never release his grasp.
- Promises of pay rise every 4 months, but realistically it’s once every 6 months with a pay rise of maybe 5000 yen each time when the salary isn’t great to start with.
- Team leaders are expected to take on extra responsibilities and a LOT of overtime with nothing to show for it. Despite the crazy stress of managing their own team they don’t get a promotion or any kind of pay rise.
- CEO is out of touch with reality. Raised wealthy and living in excess he fails to understand the actual cost of living for his staff. He thinks the staffs parents can bail them out when their salary doesn’t cover the cost of living in Tokyo and that this is acceptable instead of paying a living wage.
This is only the tip of the iceberg.
