Nest Employee Reviews about "culture"

Cons

- Currently facing some growing pains. - Needs to find ways to shorten product development cycles. - Needs to find the right balance while walking the tight rope between having an identity of its own while also adopting technology/best practices from Google.

Cons

With the obsession to create inspiring and transformative products, there is a tendency for the company to take more time to investigate features.

Cons

- the culture is tyrannical, from concept through execution, all ideas come from the top. every single detail for all 700 employees, whether it be a slight scheduling change, a minor UI change, marketing copy, or even internal communications -- all of these require approval from Tony (the CEO) - the tops down culture has transformed us into a slow moving sloth of a company that demotivates an extremely smart and (once) tenacious teamre has transformed us into a slow moving sloth of a company that demotivates an extremely smart and (once) tenacious teamre has transformed us into a slow moving sloth of a company that demotivates an extremely smart and (once) tenacious team. there's a huge opportunity in front of us, but we will miss it if we cannot right this ship soon with systemic changes. - every step of progress requires pitching to Tony in the form of keynote decks (yes, that's not a typo... even though Google bought us, we still use keynote to communicate literally everything). There's a running joke around the company that we're the most overqualified group of keynote deck builders in the world. If you want to go somewhere to SHIP products instead of making slides, this is not the place for you. But be warned, before you can present your ideas to Tony, be ready to do multiple dry-runs with your team before the 'big show.' Watch your spirits crumble as your ideas are replaced by your team's suggestions to manipulate the conversation in their favor - 'Tony won't like that, change it to this' or 'give Tony some choices, so he feels like it was his idea.' Instead of innovation, we spend countless hours thinking of ways to get Tony to sign off on an idea. - once an idea has Tony's approval, we stick with it no matter what, because going back and changing it would require countless more hours of even more keynote decks, more dry runs with your team to prep for the Tony meeting, followed by the actual Tony meeting - which may or not go in your favor. If that doesn't sound like fun, then just stick with the old idea. It may not be great, but it's approved. Sound like innovation? If so, then sign up now... you're going to love it. - because everything relies on Tony's approval many of the more savvy vets will tell you that Tony said X even when he didn't. This can be an effective way to get less savvy newbies to abandon ideas that could threaten the status-quo. some vets realize that rocking the boat could jeopardize their power, so this is a very effective way to thwart those pesky little upstarts that actually want to change things. - we're still leveraging archaic software methodologies from last century (read: waterfall). in some cases we claim to be 'doing agile' but dividing work into sprints and then doing long and arduous stand-ups does not agile make. When all ideas come from the top and teams are not empowered to change ideas during the implementation phase, so it's waterfall with lipstick.

Cons

It can be a tough company to work for. Nest requires you to step up daily to help them create some awesome products. If you're looking for a relaxing job where you can become an office wallflower then working at Nest Labs would not be for you.

Cons

The biggest challenge here is there is so much that needs to be done. The hard weeks are when everything seems to come at you at once. Sometimes it feels like you have to block time and sneak away to get some serious heads down work down.

Cons

Unfortunately Apple culture is alive and well at Nest. Fear Based management is prevalent with Micromanagement to the Nth degree a not only a norm but also fully encouraged by Directors and above. Product is stalled due to manufacturing operations delays as Apple management seems more interested gathering irrelevant data to impress C suite as opposed to providing actual results. Expect management to play 'pin the tale the on donkey' (you) as opposed to being collaborative and supportive and providing direction, encouragement and guidance. Employees are threatened, accused and intimidated as opposed to being inspired and empowered Ex-Apple employees use Nest as a direct pipeline to pull their former Apple co-workers which only further engrains the Apple culture at Nest. Expect to spend your lunches talking about Apple as Ex-Applers love reminiscing about their days at Apple with little passion shown for Nest or Nest products Management hides information from cross functional teams to better advance their agenda as opposed to advancing the product to the best interest of the company (No transparency). Few Nest employees are happy or actually want to work at Nest and are instead only waiting for their Nest vesting before leaving. There is a HUGE exodus to Google and this is apparent as new departures happen on a daily basis Although Google recently booted Tony Fadell, the Apple culture is too fully engrained to be purged from this Mess of a Nest. Upper management has wasted the efforts from truly talented Product Design and Industrial Engineers by trying to be the next Apple instead of just releasing cool product which customers would love. Advise: Steer Clear of this Toxic Heap of a Mess.

Cons

Yes, there is a culture problem. People have brought this up in all hands and it gets brushed aside and they are obviously adding reviews here now like the one “Building a global brand in record time.” (total PR damage control) We have become ultra political with little teamwork and communication happening, despite the fact that everyone is in meetings all day. The result is that nothing is getting down now. It's come to a screeching halt. To add to it, the company is adding 600+ people without thinking about how well function at that size. This has by far been the worst experience in the work place I've ever had so as my title states can it get any worse?

Cons

Hired some less qualified persons especially after dropcap acquisition. They are hire less qualified persons spoiling whole work culture.

Cons

management is a little confused and the office culture is very demanding