A Lot to Be Desired - Product Designer SmartSurvey Employee Review

• Overall, my experience at SmartSurvey was quite negative. • The company culture can be toxic, with poor communication and siloed teams that operate without real collaboration. • There is frequent micromanagement, with little autonomy given to employees to apply their skills or make meaningful contributions. • The company is still described as a start-up, but it has been around for years without much actual growth or innovation. • During my time, the company steadily shrank, with employees quietly let go or pushed out. Often without clear communication or explanation. • Job security is low, and there’s minimal opportunity for progression or salary increases. • Benefits are limited — for example, only 5 paid sick days per year, which is below industry norms. • A learning and development budget was mentioned (around £1,000), but it was never encouraged or supported in practice. • Goals are typically set to serve the business only, with little regard for employee growth or interests. • I also found the work schedule to be unfair at times, and the combination of burnout and mental fatigue significantly impacted my mental health. • Senior leadership frequently oversteps, often overriding team decisions or shifting priorities without explanation, leading to confusion and lack of direction.