Toxic culture stifles innovation and accountability - Senior Software Engineer Lumen Employee Review

The work culture at Lumen is deeply toxic, driven by office politics and self-preservation rather than merit or performance. Leadership, especially directors with 20+ years in the company, behaves as untouchable — resisting change and blocking fresh ideas. There is no clear vision or strategic direction, leaving teams confused, reactive, and demoralized. The recent layoff impacted around 350+ employees — mostly individual contributors and some low-level managers — while senior managers and directors remained completely unaffected, exposing a clear double standard. The people who built this broken culture faced zero accountability, while those doing the actual work paid the price. Career growth is minimal, innovation is absent, and the company feels focused on managing decline rather than investing in its people.