Pros
One phrase: Nice to listen, nice to hear, once broken considered to get the F off from here
Cons
Introduction: It is with a heavy heart and a sense of responsibility that I feel compelled to share my honest and comprehensive review of my time spent working at Troopers Innovation Sdn Bhd. While this review may be difficult to write, it is important to shed light on the reality of my experience, in the hopes that it might prompt positive change within the organization. 1. Lack of Work-Life Balance: From day one, it became apparent that work-life balance was a foreign concept at Troopers Innovation. The relentless demands on employees' time, often extending well beyond regular working hours, made it impossible to maintain a healthy separation between work and personal life. The unspoken expectation to always be available, combined with an incessant stream of urgent tasks, left me feeling perpetually overwhelmed and exhausted. After the OPS and BD department combine, things became way worst because we are expected to do two people's job (combine job scope) but with the same salary. 2. Ineffective Communication Channels: Open and effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful organization. Unfortunately, this was sorely lacking at Troopers Innovation. Key decisions were often made behind closed doors, leaving employees in the dark and breeding a culture of uncertainty and mistrust. Feedback from employees was either ignored or dismissed, creating an environment where innovation and growth were stifled. Joshua always like to talk transparency but once we shared and talk to him, things will either be done based on his 'mood' or nothing at all. Always told us to find/see him if we don't want to speak to the reporting manager but what he did not know is that internally the 'hierarchy' needs to be respected if not you will be judged or have a bad remaining working life in Troopers. Bet your lovely HODs forget to mentioned that huh. But then again, who in the right mind would want to go directly to the boss just to be fcked even more unreasonably. Create a Fishbowl programme but end with a failure and a joke making HR to quickly go to each employee to write something so that they have something to do. 3. Micromanagement and Lack of Trust: The pervasive culture of micromanagement at Troopers Innovation was suffocating. Rather than fostering an environment of trust and autonomy, employees were subjected to constant surveillance and nitpicking. This lack of trust undermined our confidence and hindered our ability to take initiative, ultimately inhibiting both personal and professional growth. Director such as Joshua will be coming to everyone, micromanaging people and then throw a small fit and tantrum when things don’t get in his way. Doesn’t even have a proper KPI set and then demand things to be done in his way and like talking about expectations but how about the employees? Always mentioned everyone plays an important role as a “team” but when the targets are not met it is always just one department. 4. Favoritism Joshua’s significant ego and blatant favoritism created a divisive atmosphere among employees. It was clear that certain individuals were afforded preferential treatment, while others were marginalized and overlooked. Joshua's unwillingness to listen to differing viewpoints and his tendency to surround himself with a select group of favorites contributed to an environment where personal growth and fair treatment were hindered. He always doesn’t like to admit and will brush it off like he got no favorites, but his favorites are the one who can get the job done. Ask those people to work at least one week under Operations at the associate level and we will see the difference in his attitude. One of his “pet” that shall not be name in the Finance Department is so annoying when project costings needed to approve. Always act differently in front of Joshua with the “high-pitched” voice trying to act cute while he walk out from his room while discussing about the projects. Seeing her makes me feel like I am in a Japanese sitcom. Not to mentioned two-faced when certain project cost mentioned that it is management fault but when Joshua was there she will act like nothing is wrong during that time. 5. Unhealthy Competition: Rather than encouraging collaboration and teamwork, Troopers Innovation promoted an atmosphere of unhealthy competition among employees. This not only strained relationships between colleagues but also hindered the sharing of ideas and knowledge that could have propelled the company forward. The constant pressure to outperform one another only served to intensify the toxic environment. Leaders such as HODs and managers love to involve unhealthy competition within each other and other departments. Even after the department merger, these key people like to play like a mini politic arena. Gigi the Head of BD only likes to jaga her people from the previous Department and always when discussions and things to get done, they would be the one getting the lighter job. When ask why is because previously they do a lot of tasks. So, does this imply that they should "rest" while others exert themselves to the fullest? What a healthy logic if this is the case. Vivian, the head of OPS, seems to function more like Gigi’s assistant in this scenario, consistently aligning with and endorsing her approach even as her team faces challenges. Curious as to the reason? It appears that their personal relationship as a couple might contribute to an environment where Gigi's opinions and actions hold unwavering sway. Maybe this is one of the reasons why the department merge so that it will become a Gigi’s department (Gigi is one of Joshua’s favourites). One individual who significantly troubles me is the manager named Calvin. He stands out as one of the most duplicitous managers one could encounter. Consistently setting impractical expectations and yet, when in Vivian's presence, he assumes an air of having everything well-managed. What's noteworthy is that a sense of aversion toward him is widely shared within the OPS department – virtually unanimous, in fact. but you know what the best thing about this is, he still got an increment or promotion whereas others got nothing. He is literally like Joshua, love micromanaging people and just hoping for the best. This is not how a leader should act. I am so thankful he moves to another department but still he is sitting around our area. 6. Inadequate Recognition and Rewards: The shortest of my feedback because no number of things can describe how weak Troopers Innovation value this. However, recognition for a job well done was a rarity at Troopers Innovation. Despite putting in long hours and pouring our best efforts into our work, there was a distinct lack of acknowledgment or meaningful rewards. This undermined morale and created a sense of disillusionment among employees who felt undervalued and underappreciated. 7. Discrimination and Harassment: Regrettably, my time at Troopers Innovation was marred by instances of discrimination and harassment. This included inappropriate comments, favoritism, and unequal treatment based on factors such as gender, race, and personal connections. The company's failure to address these issues created an environment where certain employees felt unsafe and marginalized. One example was that an ex-colleague of mine got scolded for leaving a job/client group during his last day of work. That is one of the biggest bullshits I ever heard and seen in my life. Joshua would come out from his office, shouting from afar and then scolded my colleague for leaving the Whatsapp job/client groups because he didn’t say a proper farewell or outro in the group before leaving. Is this a kindergarten? Playground? School? Why would anyone need to be lectured or commented about this as this is not even an issue at all and is his freaking last day. Do you have no idea how happy someone is that day, but it got to be ruined even at the last day. Conclusion: In conclusion, my experience at Troopers Innovation Sdn Bhd was marked by a toxic working environment that hindered both personal and professional growth. The lack of work-life balance, ineffective communication, micromanagement, unhealthy competition, inadequate recognition, and instances of discrimination and harassment collectively created a distressing atmosphere that left a lasting negative impact. It is my sincere hope that this review serves as a catalyst for positive change within the organization, fostering a culture of transparency, respect, and genuine care for the well-being of its employees. Only through acknowledging and addressing these issues can Troopers Innovation truly live up to its potential as an innovative and forward-thinking company.