Pros
- The office is situated in a pleasant location.
- There are some great colleagues to work with in the Dutch and Ukrianian office.
- The company organizes an annual summit abroad (although recent years have seen it held in less inspiring locations within the Netherlands, probably because of money problems)
Cons
The situation at GamePoint is not just troubling, but indicative of a deeply flawed corporate culture.
The significant employee turnover, this and last year, signals a nosedive in the company's reputation as a desirable place to work.
This trend is largely attributed to a pervasive lack of trust and oppressive micromanagement by the CEO.
The CEO's autocratic style has led to a stark absence of seasoned professionals who could serve as mentors and motivators. Notably, those few experienced individuals who join the team often depart swiftly, unable to tolerate the CEO's preference for unquestioning obedience over genuine talent and insight.
Notable achievements of the company, can be credited to the ideas and efforts of various team members. However, the CEO frequently claims these successes as his own brainchild.
It's concerning that the information I share is widely known among the majority of the employees. This suggests a prevalent culture of gossip, which occurs in environments where people are discontented. This should be a giant red flag for HR as well.
The company's deficiencies are numerous and severe:
- Salaries are embarrassingly low, exploiting employees' ignorance of their true market value.
- HR fails to provide clear pathways for professional and salary advancement is demoralizing.
- Employees working here for 10 or even 15 years, get a small printed certificate and a present worth 200 EUR. CEO per month spends 2x more on gas then on a present for someone that worked 10-15 years for him.
- Project Managament is a mess, which is not the fault from the employees, but of the CEO who micromanages everything and becomes a scrum master, PM and PO and developer, neglecting everything what a team tells him.
- The removal of basic amenities like fresh water bottles, is another good indicator of the state of the company.
- The annual bonus is insultingly low.
- Strict office hours without flexibility or hybrid working options.
- Constantly shifting priorities and deadlines create a chaotic and unstable work environment.
- From a development perspective, the quality of the codebase is compromised by rushed jobs and a lack of revision opportunities, a fact grossly overlooked or underestimated by the management.
- The provision of subpar hardware and lack of ergonomic support is inadequate, especially when compared to other companies in the gaming industry.
There is no additional compensation for overtime. Working during evenings and on multiple weekends does not lead to any extra remuneration.
- When ideas initiated by the CEO don't succeed, developers are frequently held responsible, despite merely following given requirements, delivering on time, and not being involved in the idea's conception.
- GamePoint is characterized by a culture of blame. I have never been called in by my manager, or HR to receive a compliment. Feedback is only given for poor performance, never for achievements or good work.
In a final, poetic summary: The GamePoint vessel has been submerging for three years, not due to industry turbulence, but under the heavy burden of the CEO's ego and his consistent errors in disregarding his team's insights.
To those still aboard GamePoint, expand your perspectives; the sheer relief of escaping such a toxic atmosphere is invaluable. And to those contemplating joining this crew, my advice is simple and stark: turn away and close your browser!