* Low salaries. Promotions without immediate salary increases, or only negligible ones, are the norm. In my experience, a promotion was often followed by a relevant salary increase only 6 to 12 months later.
* Global company (not a negative), so your experience will vary a lot by office. London used to be one of the core offices within the organisation but has declined in both headcount and influence over the past four years. That has impacted culture.
* Talent density has gone down massively. There are still good people around, but Optibus has seen a lot of talent move on that has not been replaced.
* The focus has been on ensuring the company is profitable, come what may. You can interpret that as you will, but expect to see limited budgets, limited perks, and a reluctance to approve any level of expenditure.
* I never felt valued. I did not feel my work was noticed or rewarded by the broader company (direct feedback was always good, but mid-level management has little influence on how decisions are made).
