I ran into 4 primary cons while working here:
1) Ethics - I worked on a team at the company that few would argue is vital to any company’s function. This role can often be ethically demanding (in any company). However, in this particular company I ran into more ethically grey/black situations than I have in any of my previous roles... combined.
During my time in this role I was put in at-least three significant ethically compromising situations. Some sought to compromise my ethics... while others were leadership imposing their compromised ethics on staff in my area. All of these situations involved Senior Leadership.
These were not small routine grievances. If I was in an investor or customer position, I would be significantly concerned with behavior and performance in my former area at the company. It is a function where if handled wrong it has the potential for huge impact.
For what it's worth... the company had no (and to my knowledge still lacks) ethical hotline... Ethics Officer... or full time Privacy Officer that could act with appropriate unbiased arbitration.
2) Performance - This is a company (in my area) that made decisions on performance based on likability. My manager was a poor performer in a crucial area for the company. Despite this... through 6 months of failure, complaints from several independent company departments, an entire function transition to another area of the company under a new Senior Leader, and fictitious goals set and missed... no resolution occurred on performance.
To this point... There is no structured and balanced employee review system for the entire company. Expect inconsistency in treatment.
3) Organization - Organizational coordination... it was a mess. Hobby projects were encouraged, and it became tough to understand what anyone was truly working on in some areas. If you care about knowing "what will I be working on in 6 months... What is the plan?" -- I wouldn't join. You have to be very comfortable with uncertainty in planning. There is very little strategic direction.
4) Work/Life Balance - In my area work/life balance was non-existent. Work at 3 am or 3 pm.... why not both. Elastic has a subliminal culture that supports this behavior despite HR's efforts to crow about work/life balance.
The reality is that when you are surrounded by high performers... you feel an undercurrent of camaraderie, friendly competition, pretenders syndrome, and a tacit feeling of "pitch in my share" that drives you to act crazy with the hours you work. Stock options and Elastic's specific use of communications tools (yes, I am looking at you Slack) act to compound this notion.
Those around you have the same challenges flowing in their veins and act in kind. This creates a culture of overwork that is hard to arrest the inertia on. Many managers at Elastic don't exert effort in trying (mine didn't particularly) as the output of this is individually rewarding for them (having a high performing area). The problem is that burnout is real here. It will become an increasing problem as this company matures.
For what it's worth... I had every incentive to see my role at this company work out. I joined a high performing startup-transition after most of the initial risk, was a former customer, and deeply supported the software and open source. While I was there, I grew to love many of the people I worked with. Unlike other companies I have departed... I am remorseful for having to leave. However, I felt the cons above compounded to force me out.
