Seemingly good opportunity that became a bad one. - Software Engineer Loka Employee Review

2.0
Mar 16, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- The company has good and interesting projects. - They have perks (this is to at least acknowledge the fact, there's worst places not having much). i.e: a Friday off every two weeks - They give people some nudges to meet in person and expense meals, etc. - You <> find yourself a place to grow and enjoy whatever perks they offer at the time. If you're considering them * look carefully and test the ground for how things are lately in there*

Cons

- It seems that various employees were resigning/being fired at the time. They didn't how to cope with it and forgot entirely about some employees and how to manage them. - They appointed 3 to 5 different managers in a short period of time to different people. Poor career path guidance, poor communication with your manager, etc. - They made a massive layoff with very poor severance packages. - Besides they fired people they considered earned "too much". Think twice if you're looking for a well-paid job company that has no regrets about it. - I could feel and if you see other reviews they are known for poor management in general. You could land a well-managed project, but likely you could land a very bad managed one. - Same for HR issues. You might encounter bad practices, inequality in salaries, and feeling uncomfortable (Look for other reviews about being friends with the right person). Don't think this is normal, seek for good environements. - As said before, you might be lucky and find yourself a good manager and a decent compensation, but after all above you might consider elsewhere. - A Friday off every two weeks could be a double edged sword because of bad management.

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Loka Response
2y
Hello there, thanks for sharing your thoughts. We're appreciate the feedback and we're sorry things didn't work out for you at Loka. That said, please allow me to clarify the facts behind your claims. Our HX team deliberates all promotions with management and collaborate closely with the employees who wish to move up in the company. Managers themselves are also frequently promoted, which means a new manager will take their place. I think what you observed is the regular movement of a growing company that provides many opportunities for individuals to grow too. Also, our HX team recently published the Loka Promotion Guidelines and the Loka Career Progression Framework. These are two information-rich resources that both document the specific parameters of progression within the company and spell out best practices for those wishing to grow. It's true that we did rebalance our engineering teams in the early days of 2023. That said, we provided not only generous severance packages to our departing employees but we also tapped into our own professional networks and made recommendations and references for people who left. Some even got a job right away because of our networking. We have never fired anyone who earns too much; this is a wildly inaccurate claim. Loka rarely lets people go, but the usual causes are underperformance, extended periods of no work and poor quality of work. In these occasions we first attempt to rectify the situation. Letting someone go is always a last resort. When it comes to employee satisfaction and career growth at Loka, the fact that our retention rate was 98% last year and 99% thus far in 2024 speaks volumes. Lastly, calling 26 extra days off "a double-edged sword" is a first for us and I'm not really sure how to respond to that. I guess maybe additional free time isn't your thing? Lokals can indulge in 5/4 Fridays only because our teams are well managed and consistently deliver on time for our customers. It's not only radical benefits like this that make Loka a great place to work, it's also the standard of quality we expect from our people.

Explore other reviews about Loka

5.0
Jan 30, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Flexible time - Good perks - 5/4 Friday offs - Explore program

Cons

- Some projects can be a little bit mess, but cause of the clients

4.0
May 20, 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- 5/4 Fridays were awesome - friendly people - LokaLabs -> fun to work on side projects - remote made timing flexible

Cons

- hard to get promoted - low pay for industry standards - not much opportunity for mentorship

4
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Loka Response
1y
Hi there, thanks for taking the time to leave a review of your experience at Loka. We take feedback seriously as that's how we get better. If I may address some of your points: For the sake of clarity in promotions, we introduced the Loka Career Progression Framework, which provides detailed information on competencies, expectations, levels and channels for navigating the promotion process. We do hold high standards when it comes to promotions, but the CPF gives our teammates a clear path, and it's up to them to put in the effort to advance their career. We make sure to keep our compensation aligned with industry standards to ensure that we are paying competitively and fairly across roles and locations. Additionally we offer unique benefits like every other Friday off, upskilling allowances and mental and physical health memberships. Our robust compensation packages are one reason why Loka averaged a 98% retention rate over the last year. And we invest heavily in training and mentoring our teams. Employees receive a yearly allowance to spend on classes, certifications and industry conferences. We host regular internal knowledge-sharing sessions; LokaSpeaks, a free weekly program for improving presentation and public speaking skills; and Global Demo Beer corners, where Lokals share technical solutions to project problems. All are great opportunities to learn from others. Anecdotally, we hear often from newer employees that if they encounter problems there's always a colleague or manager they can reach out to for help. That said, we're always looking to improve. Can you describe the kind of mentorship you were looking for that you feel like you didn't receive?
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