Aesthetic office, unstable leadership, and frequent restructuring - Anonymous employee Synaptic (India) Employee Review

1. Appraisal and performance processes felt poorly timed. Appraisal forms were rolled out shortly before a major layoff, but no reviews or follow-up discussions happened. This timing created confusion and left many employees feeling unprepared. 2. No stable long-term product direction. The product strategy changed roughly every six months, often without clear market validation. These shifts were usually followed by aggressive hiring and then large layoffs once the direction changed again. 3. Client stability appeared weak. Onboarding of new customers was limited and retaining existing clients seemed challenging. This uncertainty showed up internally through frequent changes in priorities, ownership, and scope of work. 4. Managers had very limited authority. Even basic operational decisions required senior-level approval. Managers were often expected to communicate difficult or unclear decisions without having enough context or the ability to influence outcomes. 5. Employee concerns were raised but not meaningfully addressed. Issues related to leadership and workplace behavior were escalated multiple times, but visible action was limited. Over time, this reduced trust in escalation channels and accountability. 6. Ongoing job insecurity. Layoffs happened repeatedly, which created a constant sense of uncertainty. Leadership in the Bangalore office often seemed unclear about the broader company direction, making it hard to give teams confidence about the future. 7. Constantly changing priorities. Work priorities shifted almost daily, and short-term tasks frequently replaced previously defined goals. Despite strong justifications at the start, focus rarely stayed long enough to deliver quality outcomes.