Anyone else seeing this culture shift?
And don’t get me started on the management. It’s become top-heavy, with lots of micromanaging, while the same managers are always saying they’re “too busy” with other meetings—meetings they don’t even attend or get involved in. Daily stand-ups, often disguised as other meetings, have become routine, but all they do is create a more competitive environment that pressures teams into prioritizing speed over quality and sustainability.
To top it off, headcounts are shrinking as people are poached for AI projects or shrunk because of tightening budgets. It’s all contributing to a pretty toxic work culture, where unrealistic expectations, poor management, and fewer resources are making it harder to maintain long-term quality. The whole vibe of the industry seems to be more focused on hitting short-term goals than on building a healthy, sustainable work environment for the future.