Pros
Some of the people on the ground are genuinely the best part of the business. Many colleagues are supportive, hardworking and committed to doing their best despite the environment they work in. Their professionalism and willingness to help one another make a real difference and are often what keeps teams going through challenging periods.
Cons
The biggest issue is the leadership culture. ALL senior managers seem more interested in control than in developing their teams. Communication can come across as condescending, concerns are too easily dismissed, and the atmosphere can become unnecessarily tense. It often feels like people are expected to keep quiet rather than speak honestly. Pay progression is virtually non-existent. Employees are regularly told the business is growing and performing well, yet when the conversation turns to salaries, suddenly there's "no budget". It's difficult to reconcile those two messages. You do not get yearly pay reviews, and some people haven't had a pay rise in 3+ years, even when asked or in line with cost of living increases. Many people hand in their notices to get pay rises - which usually works. Career progression also feels built on promises that rarely materialise. Expectations continue to increase, but recognition and reward don't follow. It leaves people feeling undervalued and wondering what they're actually working towards. Company-wide updates are supposed to happen regularly, but are often postponed or cancelled to the point where it's has become something people joke about. That lack of consistent communication only adds to the uncertainty and disconnect between leadership and employees. The absence of a readily available HR function means there doesn't always feel like there's a safe or impartial place to raise concerns. For a business that says it values its people, that's disappointing. If leadership focused as much on transparency, consistency and valuing its employees as it does on talking about growth, the company would be in a much better position. The most disappointing part is the effect the culture at Unity Online has had from the top down and the impact it's had on people. I've watched talented colleagues become demotivated, lose confidence and question their own abilities in an environment where support often feels secondary to control. The level of staff turnover over the past year should be a serious point of reflection for the business. Losing talented people repeatedly should prompt honest questions about the culture, management and whether employee feedback is genuinely being listened to. Ultimately, a company can only improve when leadership is willing to look objectively at what is happening internally, take accountability and make difficult decisions. Protecting the status quo and prioritising certain voices over wider employee concerns risks damaging morale, trust and retention.