Pluspunten
The people are great. Genuinely really amazing people that are trying to make a difference.
Minpunten
My experience at SmartSearch was unfortunately challenging and, at times, damaging to my wellbeing. A major issue was the culture at management level. Gossip was common, particularly among senior staff, and often involved speaking negatively about employees who reported directly to them. In one case, a manager repeatedly put down an employee both behind their back and directly to their face, to the point that it visibly impacted the individual’s mental health. There was little sense of psychological safety. Expectations and priorities were frequently unclear. Project milestones consistently shifted, and goals were often described in vague or “fluffy” terms, making it difficult to understand what success actually looked like. This lack of clarity was compounded by leadership changes: some original founders were removed and replaced with tech-focused leaders who showed limited interest in product, delivery, or cross-functional collaboration. Conflicting priorities were common. Requests would come simultaneously from a direct manager and their manager, often with no alignment between them, leaving employees to navigate impossible trade-offs. Despite heavy meeting schedules, staff were expected to complete all deliverables within standard hours. Working late to meet deadlines was implicitly required, yet explicitly discouraged, with employees told they “shouldn’t need to” work extra hours—creating a no-win situation. Job security felt constantly under threat. Managers would openly communicate that roles were “on the line,” which fostered fear rather than motivation. Support from management was lacking; when issues arose, it was clear that managers did not have their team’s backs. There were also several smaller but telling issues that reflected the wider culture. Parking availability was extremely limited. There was a clear divide between executives and non-executives, including separate coffee supplies and chairs, with staff being reprimanded for using the “wrong” coffee. While minor on the surface, these actions reinforced a strong sense of hierarchy and exclusion. Finally, the Customer Success team appeared consistently negative, with high turnover and constant movement I can’t blame them, this further contributed to an unstable working environment. Overall, SmartSearch struggled with leadership culture, clarity, psychological safety, and trust. While the company has potential, significant changes would be needed in management approach and internal culture for it to be a healthy and sustainable place to work
