Canonical reviews

Nearly all of the company's problems trickle down from its toxic, micromanaging CEO. Mark will inject himself into all levels of the company, will dictate specific implementation details, and will challenge and intimidate people on minor topics which should be worked out with line managers, not the CEO. He likes to single out and humiliate employees in public settings. The current candidate interview process is 15 steps long, includes writing an essay about how great Canonical is, and ends with personal interviews and vetting by Mark. All positions, no matter the seniority or role, now require a BA, even for lateral moves within the company. As a result of all of these, hiring has cratered in the last few years. If you do get hired, base salary is average at best, and extended benefits such as matching 401(k) are nonexistent.

- extremely high-pressure and stressful work. The company claims to follow a meritocratic system, but individual opinions don't matter and any employee initiative is frowned upon. - the management is notoriously horrible, with some managers exhibiting behaviors that can only be described as psychopathic. - employees are hesitant to seek promotions, as management is ever worse higher up the hierarchy. I have heard multiple stories of verbal harassment and humiliation in meetings from senior managers. - there is no compensation for overtime, but employees are encouraged to finish projects on time regardless of personal sacrifice. It is not uncommon to hear about coworkers working late or on weekends. - the turnover rate is extremely high, with employees either leaving or getting fired monthly. The company attempts to attract talent with promises of prestigious work in a progressive system, but the reality is an extremely rigid, toxic environment. - the company regularly hires employees from the Asia, Africa or Middle East with the promise of future relocation to the UK or an EU country where the company has a legal entity. However, I have never seen anyone successfully relocate. Instead, requests for relocation are quickly denied by management, making it seem like a false promise and a sleazy business practice. This tendency was more evident the longer I worked there. When I joined, I had a one-on-one meeting with a departing employee who told me, "The moment you start crying at this job, leave it and don't look back." I wish I had taken her advice sooner.