Stiff, defensive, and resistant to change - Senior Systems Engineer Dell Technologies Employee Review

1.0
Sep 1, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I learned a lot of technical skills and processes in the beginning, and while I was learning to excel at existing processes (and did not attempt to improve anything) my experience was decent

Cons

Senior leadership was very insular and made a performance of being open to technical improvements, but was threatened by any reasonable & defensible suggestions made by low-medium level employees. Management was callous and seemed to resent or ignore any indication that technical improvements could be made. Management attempted to use (inaccurate and poorly researched) scare tactics to keep me from leaving my position when I asked about transferring internally. Management once called a very competent coworker of mine "insubordinate" and threatened termination (over a text message) after that coworker researched, presented, and tried to implement a new, more efficient process. I was once told by management that it was "Dell culture" to interrupt the presenter in meetings. An aggressive culture was encouraged, and questioning my coworker's intentions became the norm - in retrospect I believe I had several close coworkers who were actively undermining my initiatives and misrepresenting my work to higher-ups in order to secure their place in the hierarchy. I did not feel like my technical leadership had the "whole picture" in their head while planning our technical roadmaps. I feel that over the course of years I did more impactful and relevant work than my technical leadership but was paid 1/3 as much. Overall, Dell felt like it was only a good place to work if you had secured a cosy position in the senior leadership hierarchy and wanted to coast for several years but was not a good place to work otherwise.

Explore other reviews about Dell Technologies

5.0
Jun 22, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great people! Team members/coworkers are fantastic

Cons

It’s still kind of an old school culture mindset. They move slower and have red tape

1.0
Jun 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

At this point? None honestly.

Cons

They did a complete 180 since I got hired. Came in as remote during COVID and now that they forced most people back to the office, they made us 3rd class citizens in the company. Can't get a raise, a promotion, any spiffs or even the same contests that the people in the office do. This company does not keep promises and has been constantly doing workforce reductions ever year like clockwork for 4 years now. The COO Jeff Clarke is an absolute clown as well, you have to go into the office dressed as business casual, but this guy goes to One Dell World in undersized lame t-shirts every year. Hypocrisy at all levels of this company. Just looking for a good opportunity and I am out, after talking to my co workers I feel like 70-80% feel the same. The tools also suck and are down half the time as well.

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