The workplace culture here has some serious issues. A lot of tech leads are strong technically but very weak when it comes to people management. Feedback is often delivered in a way that creates stress and anxiety instead of helping people grow. Some leads use language and behavior that, in a more mature company, would easily trigger an HR investigation—but here it’s tolerated, mainly because they’ve been around for a long time and keep getting promoted despite lacking real management skills.
There’s a constant pressure narrative: “you’re underperforming,” “we can do more,” “you need to push.” Instead of motivating people, this creates insecurity and burnout. Challenging ideas is basically a no-go. The hierarchy is very top-down: you listen, you execute, and that’s it. Many talented colleagues genuinely want to improve things, but leadership tends to shut down ideas to protect themselves rather than collaborate on better solutions.
The probation period is especially rough. New hires are constantly reminded that probation is ending and that they need to give “100%.” It feels more like psychological pressure than support. I’ve never experienced anything like this in other companies—it’s closer to intimidation than empowerment.
From the outside, the company markets itself as innovative and forward-thinking. Internally, though, the tech stack and processes often feel outdated and don’t always meet modern standards for quality and reliability. People in other offices are generally great to work with, but the Sliema office culture feels old-school and disconnected from what you’d expect in a modern European or US company.
Be aware that growth is very political. The company is highly hierarchical, with internal “clubs” of influence. Career progression often depends more on who you’re friends with than on performance or ideas.
Not surprisingly, high performers tend to leave quickly for better opportunities. Those who relocate for the role often stay longer, not because things improve, but because they feel stuck.
