Fast-paced learning environment, but can be chaotic - Product Developer Kognic Employee Review

I’ve worked at Kognic for some time now and genuinely feel it’s a great place to work. The company manages to combine an ambitious, high-performing environment with a very real sense of work–life balance. You’re encouraged to do great work, but also to have a life outside of work, and that is actually respected in day-to-day practice. Real work–life balance Unlike many “fast-growing” companies where balance is more of a slogan, Kognic is serious about sustainable work. There is trust in people to manage their time and flexibility to make work fit with life, not the other way around. Positive momentum and energy The overall vibe in the company right now is very positive. There is a lot of business activity and recruitment, and you can feel that we’re building towards something bigger. That creates an energizing atmosphere, without feeling chaotic. Fun events and strong benefits Kognic invests in culture. There are plenty of social events, both big and small, which makes it easy to get to know colleagues across teams. On top of that, the benefits package is competitive, which adds to the feeling that the company cares about people’s well-being. Technical ambition and room to experiment (department perspective) In my specific department, we are asked to be very technically forward and to do as much as we can with relatively lean resources. On paper that might sound like a negative, but in practice it has been a big positive for me. It has created space to: - Experiment with new tools and technologies - Automate and optimize instead of just throwing more people at problems - Stay at the forefront of what’s possible in our domain If you enjoy learning, iterating, and working close to the technology, this environment is very rewarding. Clear leadership and credible strategy The current leadership team is clear about expectations and direction. Communication about priorities and goals is straightforward, and the strategy feels like a winning one. It is grounded in real customer needs and market realities, rather than buzzwords. Customers who genuinely like the product One of the best signals internally is how our customers behave. We see customers growing with us over time, and the feedback is that they truly value the product. That makes it much easier to stay motivated, because you feel that what you are building and delivering actually matters.

Processes can still be improved Like most growing companies, Kognic is still refining some of its processes. Things work, but there is room to become more consistent and scalable in how we operate.

The HR team is good at employee branding and puts energy into organising social events.

The positive image of the company culture presented publicly, such as transparency, is only superficial. The management lacks competence in people leadership skills and rather focuses on business skills (e.g., how to sell and squeeze more pennies). My manager and the so-called 'team lead' are not able to deal with their insecurity and act irresponsibly towards the team. Using others' weaknesses as a weapon to attack rather than showing their own vulnerability (an essential leadership skill, imo). The culture tends to punish those who dare to speak up and reward those who are quiet and not involved in anything. My team was even told by the manager in the meeting not to contact someone whom they had to lay off, leaving an unpleasant atmosphere and many questions unanswered. In difficult situations in the work environment, the HR team is not able to resolve the issue and rather leaves the manager in charge, which in turn leaves employees hopeless. Currently, they are downsizing and not able to deal with any conflict. Many people feel frustrated, and the company seems to be a sinking ship. I learnt a lot from such a toxic experience, and will be careful about my future career choice.