Pluspunten
Talented colleagues and supportive local teams.
Minpunten
In late 2025, the company implemented a "Bench" policy for employees in Indonesia. Employees remained officially employed but were placed on bench status, instructed not to report to work, and stopped receiving salaries despite being available and willing to work. Communication regarding this decision was unclear and was delivered primarily through informal channels rather than transparent company-wide announcements from headquarters. Affected employees were also expected to submit Loss of Pay (LOP) records despite remaining active employees. Many raised concerns because their employment agreements were based on monthly salaries rather than project-based compensation. Formal complaints were submitted through internal communication channels, emails, and reports to local labor authorities. Employees repeatedly requested clarification, collective discussions, and formal negotiations regarding their employment status. However, concerns were often ignored, delayed, or redirected into individual negotiations rather than meaningful collective resolution. Several troubling issues occurred during this period: - Employees remained in prolonged unpaid status for several months while still officially employed. - Managers were granted the ability to submit and approve LOP records on behalf of employees. - Employees received little visibility into future project opportunities, workforce planning, or employment outcomes. - Multiple requests for bipartite negotiations received limited engagement. - Compensation proposals offered during negotiations were significantly below what many employees considered reasonable after months without income. - Leave and payroll-related policies were modified during the dispute, creating additional concerns among affected employees. - Employees on extended LOP status were informed that they could lose annual leave entitlements, despite the fact that their bench status was not initiated by the employees themselves. The most concerning aspect was not the lack of projects itself, but the way employees were treated once projects became unavailable. The business risk associated with the absence of projects appeared to be transferred entirely to employees while they remained under employment. As of the time of writing, some affected employees have remained in unresolved bench status for several months, and the matter continues to be reviewed by local labor authorities. Overall This was one of the most disappointing professional experiences of my career. The issue was not simply being on the bench—it was being left without pay, without clear communication, and without a meaningful resolution for an extended period while still remaining an employee of the company. The lack of transparency, prolonged uncertainty, and inadequate engagement with employee concerns created an environment where many employees felt unsupported. While there are talented people within the organization, substantial improvements are needed in workforce management, labor practices, communication, and employee relations. I would encourage prospective employees to carefully evaluate the company's policies regarding bench management, employee protection, compensation practices, and communication during business downturns before joining