Fine... but in decline - Anonymous employee F5 Employee Review

3.0
Feb 23, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Many smart people-- there is a lot to learn here Work/life balance is good Great Benefits Beer on Friday Free gym Free coffee/soda pop/sparkling water Cheap parking or fully paid bus pass Employee recognition trip to Hawaii for high performers Good place for bicyclists Location is near the water Better than amazon

Cons

Company is very political. The term "old boys club" fits. New IT upper management in the past year has resulted in morale declining rapidly. It used to be a supportive place to work but the blame game is picking up fast. Bad managers who drive away employees are kept, and good managers are leaving. Too many managers per employee. Management strategy seems to consists of generalized process improvement and platitudes. Expect to work with lots of consultants/contractors Fun group activities have been much less frequent since management changes. Commute is bad unless you live in Magnolia, Ballard or LQA. High expectations for new hires who end up doing fairly basic tasks. Hardware sales slowing and new offerings don't seem to be catching on. The Street has noticed. Stock price is down and appears stuck. Best company to work for ratings are the result of marketing blasts. Overall, it's probably as good or better than many places. The great benefits speak to that. It is sad how much the quality of work life has fallen in the past 2 years. It's like going from a Ferrari to a Ford. It is still fine, but not amazing.

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5.0
Jan 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

they are serious about creating a great work culture.

Cons

none that I can think of

3.0
Jun 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Decent Views Decent Benefits Stock Options and 401k matching ORCA and pandaride Thirsty Thursday

Cons

Lower than standard industry pay Corporate culture weeds out those who don't toe the line Weak management with little to no mentorship High turnover, downsizing regularly No direction or accountability within or across teams No advancement opportunity / only senior positions ever available

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