A Company Stuck in the Past: A terrible place to work for anyone who values an equitable employer - Designer Engine Digital Employee Review

Leadership is a boys' club of condescending (majority white) men who couldn't care less about DEI initiatives. When Black Lives Matter protests erupted and DEI became a priority everywhere, Engine Digital did the bare minimum. They formed a performative DEI team stacked with people from marginalized backgrounds, but with zero leadership participation. The CEO himself embodies the problem. During a DEI meeting, he dismissively declared "we don't have sexism here" and that he "only hires adults." This is incredibly disrespectful considering the documented pay gap between genders and the complete lack of objective promotion criteria that favors men. While their public image on social media is to thank women performatively on International Women's day, year over year. I personally experienced discrimination in the form of microaggressions and even overt statements. To make matters worse, there's no functional HR department. When I confided to leadership about harassment I was facing, they shamelessly shared my confidential report with a coworker as an example. This is a staggering breach of trust. My work, and the work of my colleagues, was used for recognition at the Vancouver UX awards that the company bragged about on social media, yet the teams responsible received no recognition or reward internally. Bias is rampant throughout the organization, from hiring and promotions to who gets assigned to prestigious projects. The company profits are shared with those who've been there for years, while those actually doing the work are denied any opportunity. Juniors are given zero chance for growth, and "mentorship" means getting thrown into the deep end with difficult clients and unclear expectations. Those doing the work on the ground bear the brunt of the chaos. If you're looking for a company that values its employees and fosters a truly inclusive environment, avoid Engine Digital at all costs.