Microsoft Software Engineer (Software Developer II) reviews

4.0

82% would recommend to a friend

(1,093 total reviews)
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Satya Nadella

75% approve of CEO

73% positive business outlook

Software Engineer (Software Developer II) employees have rated Microsoft with 4.0 out of 5 stars, based on 1,093 company reviews on Glassdoor. This indicates that most Software Engineer (Software Developer II) professionals have a good working experience there. Microsoft is rated in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) by Software Engineer (Software Developer II) professionals compared to other employers within the Tecnologías de la información industry (3.9 stars).

Reviews by job title

1K reviews
3.0
Jul 17, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Previous Strong Work-Life Balance: The company was once recognized for its strong work-life balance, allowing employees to maintain a healthy equilibrium between professional and personal life. This created a positive and supportive work environment.

Cons

The organization is heavily reliant on legacy technologies, and there is a significant amount of tribal knowledge that has accumulated over time. This makes onboarding difficult for new team members and limits the ability to scale development or maintain systems efficiently. Additionally, documentation is almost non-existent, which further exacerbates the issue. Impact of Recent Layoffs: However, the recurring layoffs, which appear to be done without clear patterns or communication, have significantly impacted morale and trust. Unlike in other high-tech companies where processes like URA or PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) are formalized, the company's approach to layoffs feels opaque. The lack of transparency around these decisions has created an atmosphere of uncertainty, making it harder for employees to feel secure in their roles and plan for the future. Lack of Transparency: The absence of clear communication or criteria surrounding layoffs, or even the performance review processes, makes it difficult for employees to understand how decisions are made. This “black box” approach not only damages employee trust but also disrupts the previously positive culture, as it introduces fear and unpredictability into the workplace. The outdated tech stack leads to bottlenecks in development, making the processes slower. This impacts the company’s ability to release new features or respond quickly to market demands. Teams often face delays due to technical debt and inefficient processes, hindering overall agility.

2.0
Jul 16, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Good pay/benefits - Generally good work/life balance for big tech, depending on your manager - Decently supportive of WFH/hybrid, with no forced RTO

Cons

- Changing teams is the same as applying from outside the company, lengthy interview loops and all - Very deep hierarchies with many middle managers, lots of office politics, reorgs, etc. - Always a big layoff around the corner - Even if your manager is good, sometimes company-wide initiatives will hurt you. I lost my job due by an automated process that my manager wasn't even involved in. - Anti-DEI at this point. Got rid of their whole DEI department, and then fired me and a lot of other trans and disabled people two days after the inauguration this year.

3.0
Jul 16, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Okay benefits - Casual approach to remote work - Working on very well known products - Lots of company events

Cons

- Boring, slow-paced work - Difficult to get promotion (limited promotion budget pool) - Seniority is not based on merit - Not so competitive salary

Viewing 145 - 147 of 1,093 Reviews

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