The Sage culture of the past is now firmly a thing of history, and no amount of cartoonish branding or Sage-branded merchandise is sufficient to convince the workforce otherwise.
What currently prevails is a culture of mistrust between ‘leaders’ and employees, fuelled in part by the perception that many in senior positions act in their own interests rather than in service of the wider organisation.
Crucially, numerous leaders appear to have been promoted not on the basis of genuine capability, but rather due to their ability to speak convincingly and maintain inflated – yet fragile – egos. Leadership, particularly across functions, is often reduced to asking, “What’s going on? How will it be resolved? When will it be finished?” Offers of genuine support or a willingness to engage hands-on are noticeably absent. Whether this is due to a sense of superiority or a lack of practical skill is unclear – but either way, it is telling.
There was a time when the culture and capability within the company were far stronger – notably when the business was truly headquartered in the North. However, the shift of power to London, combined with a drive to cultivate a homogenised workforce lacking in diversity of thought, has eroded what once made Sage distinctive.
Moreover, the organisation tolerates – and at times enables – bullying behaviour. And before any standard HR response is issued claiming “we do not tolerate bullying or discrimination,” I will say this: I have personally witnessed individuals being racially marginalised, neurodiversity mocked, colleagues pushed to the brink of mental exhaustion, and a startling absence of any meaningful action to confront these issues. The toxicity within the culture has, if anything, grown steadily worse over the past five years.
I have no doubt that business performance will improve, but only because the market itself is growing. Sage must take a long, honest look at the company it is building – and ask whether it can truly be proud of what exists today, or what is being created for the future.
