Chaos all around - Anonymous employee B-works Employee Review

1.0
6 Oct 2023
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I do not know what to say... All started pretty well, even though I was let to understand that the company is bigger than it actually was.

Cons

1) In an interview they let me understood that they have an office in Italy, Zürich and now new office in Berlin. I even asked how the collaboration between offices work and they said that it is great. On my first day, there were 2 developers in the company and the CEO. There is no office in Italy (anymore) and the CEO represents the Zürich office alone. 2) In an interview they said that they are working for clients but they also have their own product. I asked how or if I am able to influence which am I going to work for, and how does the company handle both ways. They said that it goes well, and it depends on the situation. They did not have any idea of their own product when I joined. The CEO was very eager to figure out one tho. 3) The CEO is not very well informed about the labor law in Germany. He made me sign an additional agreement on top of the job contract that I need to be available between 9-18. That itself is 9h, when working time in the contract is 42h/week. Of course, an employee need to be at the office before 9am because the daily starts then. Also when I left around 5pm, the CEO wanted me to stay in the office until 6pm because he may have something important to tell me. 4) The CEO gives one day notice to stay next day at the office untile 7pm, because he has organised a job interview with a candidate without asking if that works for the employees. He did not see the problem and was very dissatisfied when I said that I already have plans. He demanded me to come to the office. 5) I got bad reaction from a corona vaccination, and had to take a day off. I was feeling bad even on the following day, and send an email that I am still sick. At least I thought I sent it - perhaps I closed my mobile too fast and the message didn't leave. In the afternoon, the CEO sent me a warning for unreasonable absense. No calls, no messages or so to ask if I am okay or so - Just a warning. 6) I found my own position open on LinkedIn, and it had been reposted multiple times during my employment. I know it was my position, because the description said that the person will be the first designer in the Berlin. office.

Explore other reviews about B-works

2.0
19 Oct 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Small company you can learn some scrum there.

Cons

The company is privately owned, and the owner also acts as the product owner, which can lead to centralized decision-making and limited transparency. Although the main company is based in Zurich, hiring often takes place in Italy or Germany to reduce salary costs. Candidates should carefully review their contracts, as compensation structures may include adjustments that effectively replace the 13th/14th month salaries and bonuses with a higher monthly rate calculated on a 12-month basis. The management tends to rely heavily on legal measures in case of disputes, and there have been instances of employees receiving formal notices during conflict situations. Maintaining a positive personal relationship with the owner can significantly influence your work experience. Those who stay low-profile generally encounter fewer issues. Employees may occasionally be asked to participate in marketing or promotional activities (e.g., appearing in company photos or content used on LinkedIn), sometimes even after employment ends, to promote a company image of innovation and collaboration. The role can be manageable for a short-term experience (1–2 years), but there are limited opportunities for career growth or substantial financial advancement. Recently, the company has positioned itself as “AI-first,” but this appears to be more of a marketing direction than a reflection of deep AI expertise, as the technical and compensation levels do not align with industry standards for AI professionals.

5.0
3 Nov 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Interessante Projekte, positive und ermutigende Arbeitsatmosphäre, tolles Team, schöner Arbeitsplatz im Herzen von Zürich, flexible Arbeitszeiten, Homeoffice, familienfreundlicher Arbeitgeber

Cons

Gibt keine Kontras, einzig muss man fähig sein, hohen Qualitätsansprüchen gerecht zu werden

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