The Real Price of Cha1da1 Engineering's High Salary

by Software Engineer

Pros:

• Competitive Compensation: The salary is among the highest in the Bangladeshi software industry.

• Talented Colleagues: You will work alongside some of the nicest and smartest individuals in the Chaldal Engineering team.

• Engaging Work: Opportunities to take on significant and interesting projects arise from a very early stage.

• Knowledgeable CTO: The CTO possesses deep technical knowledge and expertise.

• Meritocratic Environment: Performance is the primary basis for judgment, and credit for your work is duly given.

• No Office Politics: The workplace is generally free from office politics.

Cons:

Compensation and Working Hours:

• Delayed Salary Payment: Salaries are typically disbursed around the 20th-25th of the following month.

• High Hours, Lower Effective Rate: While the monthly salary is high, the effective hourly rate can be significantly lower due to the extensive hours required compared to other companies in Bangladesh. There are no fixed work hours; you are expected to work until tasks are completed.

• Pervasive Overtime: Employees are frequently pushed to work overtime, including on weekends. This is the norm rather than the exception, and there is no additional compensation for these extra hours. Some individuals may even be required to work on Eid day without compensation if critical issues ("alarms") arise.

• Eid Bonus Structure: The Eid bonus is divided, with half paid before Eid and the other half after. (consider this a feature, so you don't spend all your money before Eid)

Work-Life Balance and Leave Policies:

• Non-Existent Work-Life Balance: Achieving a healthy work-life balance is extremely challenging and not a recognized priority.

• Restrictive HR Policies: HR policies are notably poor. New employees receive no paid leave (including sick leave or for Eid/Puja celebrations) during their first six months. Any time off for Eid or Puja during this initial period is unpaid.

• Limited Holiday and Leave Access: Public holidays are not formally observed. Instead, employees receive a fixed number of leave days per year, but obtaining approval for this leave can be very difficult. Employees are often discouraged from taking their entitled leave.

Management, Culture, and Work Environment:

• Intense Work Pressure: Work pressure is immense, with expectations set so high that maintaining a personal life while attempting to meet them becomes nearly impossible.

• Unrealistic Deadlines: Engineers are often subjected to overly tight or unrealistic deadlines, which are frequently imposed without their consultation or consent.

• Centralized Decision-Making: The CTO holds a virtual monopoly on decision-making. Team leads are often hesitant to voice dissenting opinions or challenge decisions, even if they perceive the CTO to be mistaken.

• CTO's Expectation Discrepancy: While highly knowledgeable, the CTO sometimes seems to overlook that not all team members possess his extensive (e.g., 20 years) experience. This can make it challenging to explain why tasks may take longer than he anticipates, as complex issues might appear simpler from his perspective.

• Limited Authority for Team Leads: Team leads often have more theoretical than practical authority, with minimal input in significant decision-making processes.

• Excessive Micromanagement: There is a significant degree of micromanagement. Higher management frequently bypasses team leads and direct managers to request updates directly from individual employees.

• Misaligned Management Focus: Overall management practices appear to be more focused on micromanaging employees rather than proactively addressing their concerns or solving systemic problems.

• Perceived Favoritism: Management may exhibit bias towards certain favored individuals, who tend to receive greater flexibility regarding work-from-home arrangements, work hours, and leave requests.

• Job Security Concerns: There is a risk of sudden termination without adequate prior warning or proper compensation.

• Over-reliance on Technological Solutions: Higher management appears to operate under the conviction that every problem can and should be solved primarily with a technological solution, sometimes overlooking other viable approaches.

• Negative Public Perception: Cha1da1's brand image is perceived quite negatively among the public, which can sometimes make it uncomfortable for employees to identify themselves with the company. This public sentiment appears to be significantly fueled by issues such as repetitive unsolicited calls.

• Misaligned Project Motivations: There's a perception that some features and tasks are prioritized more to impress investors rather than to genuinely improve the core business or address customer needs.

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