Pros
1) Good work-life balance : Expectation is to finish the work in reasonable time. Employee has the freedom to plan the execution in his style. Work from home facility is an added advantage (depends on project). 2) Good work culture : senior management is very approachable and friendly. 3) Technical exposure : there are ample opportunities to technically advance your career. Again this depends on project. But if we have the desire there is enough opportunity to grow skill wise. 4) Flexible working hours : no need to stay in office unnecessarily. Smart people can finish off their work and leave early.
Cons
1) Very marginal or no hike : Single digit hike % even for consistent top performer rating. At times NO HIKE citing the reason that you have reached the upper limit for the current band. Experienced this phenomenon only at UST global. 2) Salary dependency on time-sheet : swipe in and swipe out times not tracked properly. If you miss out to fill the time sheet or even get it approved by your manager you end up waiting for the next payroll to recover the lost salary. 3) Lacking timely designation advancement: career progression is a big concern in this organization. There is a delay of 2 or 3 years to reach the eligible band. This applies even for exceptionally skilled employees. Came across a lot of co-workers(with fair technical competencies) stuck in the same band for years. The real eligibility criteria(number of years) for designation advancement and the actual followed norm is mentioned below: Note: Even consecutive high performers are turned down saying there are no available slots(quota) for promotion. (while still filling the vacancies through lateral hires) SE to SSE : 2 years, norm : 4-5 years SSE to Systems Analyst : 4 years, norm : 6-8 years Systems Analyst to Sr. Systems Analyst : 6 years, norm : 10-12 years 4) Promising on-site opportunity & recognizing in rewards program are just poor & ineffective strategies to retain top talent in the absence of solid hike or timely designation advancement. 5) Managerial decisions are very biased and dependent on personal relationships rather than being based on the value an employee brings to the table and his contribution towards the company's business. 6) Still follows the bell curve system for appraisal and the normalization process is not aligned with existing industry standards. 7) Unnecessary dress code at work place : tie for gents was removed recently, however the norm to wear light shades still remain. Having a formal dress code is fine, however the design or color choice belongs to the person. 8) Fewer number of technical managers who understand the dynamics and technicalities and gets the real results. Higher number of non technical managers in the organization leads to unwanted pressure on their leads. (vice captain taking over as captain scenario) 9) Salary revision kicks in as late as October/November and the arrears are never paid. (new campus building, sponsorship, programs to fetch brand value etc conducted at this cost)