Sexist, Toxic, Soul-crushing - Software Engineering ServiceNow Employee Review

2.0
Jun 14, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good pay and stock options.

Cons

(Omitting title and location to avoid any possibility of being identified. Listed location is fake.) Toxic and soul-crushing. Stressful and unpredictable hours. Work is often not technically interesting. It’s generally about appeasing the person in a convo with the most political weight. It’s not about problem solving. It’s toxic competition, especially between software engineering teams. It’s all political discourse. If you love cutthroat corporate politics, this is the place for you. If you care more about the people and the work, you will hate it. Extremely sexist. If you are a woman, do not work in engineering at this company. After working here, I 100% see why so many women leave tech. Years ago when I started, I just loved the challenge of the work. I thought as long as I worked hard, I would be ok. I though I might have to work a bit harder as a woman, but “I could handle it.” Thing is, it doesn’t work that way. It’s a no win situation. If you aren’t vocal enough, then you aren’t contributing enough to the direction. If you are professionally vocal, you are a threat. Men get away with wildly hostile behavior. I mean full on screaming. When they do this, they are passionate. I’ve seen it so many times in different scenarios. When women raise a valid concern in a professional way, “they’re causing trouble.” There are frequent reorgs. Every single time, I start at square -5 and my peers start at square 10. Over time, I earn respect, than a reorg happens and I start back all over again. Past accomplishments don’t matter. There’s so much political competition among middle/upper management that leaders undermine other groups to gain more resources. Leaders don’t trust the judgment of their predecessors or peers, so you always have to re-earn their trust. It also causes project ownership chaos because leadership failed to take it into consideration over the many reorgs. You can’t trust what leadership says. They tell you whatever story frames the parts they can’t hide in the best light.

Explore other reviews about ServiceNow

5.0
Jun 3, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Big Tech health + vision + dental benefits

Cons

Significant change and movement in org.

2.0
Jun 17, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

ServiceNow had a differentiated platform and products. Early on the culture had a startup energy that was rare for a company this size collaborative teams, ownership, and a sense that people actually cared about outcomes. Working with large enterprise customers on complex workflows was interesting work.

Cons

The ServiceNow I joined was a different company. As headcount increased, so did the bureaucracy, layers, and friction that rewarded politics over execution. The layoffs of the last few years were handled poorly little transparency, inconsistent communication, and decisions that felt made far above with little thought for the people affected. The "cost optimization" messaging rang hollow against continued executive spending. For a company that sells workflow and people process tools, the irony of a chaotic RIF wasn't lost on anyone in the field or on customers. Leadership political dynamics were real. The right team, the right manager you had cover. Performance alone didn't protect you.

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