The founder CEO (with a cult of personality) really believes that it is the way to "top tech talent." He comes from a management consulting background and tries to manage the software organization like they're consultants. Leads to a very bottom heavy organization, with a lot of juniors, many of whom get PIPed right as they're starting to become useful. It leads to high turnover with a lot of backstabbing, and very short term thinking because everybody is always focused on the next performance management cycle.
It was really a bizarre place to work, because work-life balance was amazing, the benefits and vacation were great, but twice a year there was this insane hunger games.
They really chilled out the performance management process from 2020 or so through 2023, so people who worked there then didn't always notice.
Ah yeah that explains my experience a bit better. I was there in the COVID wfh time, 2020 or so, then rejoined 2024 when I experienced things not too unlike what you described. (except I joined as a principal, ~8-10 years of experience, and received backstabbing and lies from juniors and managers (edit and tech lead)).
I don't recommend going to Plano, TX and joining the Auto Navigator product division.
It was really a bizarre place to work, because work-life balance was amazing, the benefits and vacation were great, but twice a year there was this insane hunger games.
They really chilled out the performance management process from 2020 or so through 2023, so people who worked there then didn't always notice.