Once a Mission-Driven Tech Company—Now a Case Study in Dysfunction - Anonymous employee Camunda Employee Review

1.0
Jun 15, 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Brilliant, passionate ICs who genuinely want to do great work Solid core product and engaged open-source community (though morale is starting to crack there too) Remote-first structure allows for flexibility

Cons

Leadership vacuum at the top: The executive team is fragmented, risk-averse, and deeply siloed. There is a ever rotating cast of actors and priorities that burn people out without delivering results. Revolving door of talent: Some of the most capable people have either left or been pushed out. Top talent is not retained or empowered—it’s replaced by safer, less experienced hires who won’t challenge the status quo. No GTM strategy to speak of: Camunda’s commercial strategy is reactive and misaligned with its product roadmap. Sales, marketing, and product regularly pull in different directions. Targets are set top-down without a grip on market reality, then revised mid-quarter, eroding trust. Burnout culture masked as 'ownership': Employees are encouraged to be self-starters and let go of work life balance—but in reality, they're left unsupported and overburdened. Accountability flows down, not up. Middle management is stuck firefighting, and no one is protecting the teams from executive churn. SLT wants us to work like founders without the incentive: Recent All Hands and confluence posts about Camundi needing to reframe how we think work life balance will only work if our equity makes it worthwhile. It does not. Politics > performance: Promotions are based more on personal alignment with leadership than impact. Dissent, even when thoughtful, is unwelcome. Those who raise concerns are seen as troublemakers, not leaders. The Partnerships team: Neglected and mismanaged from the top —despite being critical for scale. Several years of investment have been wasted due to poor executive sponsorship and lack of GTM fluency. Performative morale-building: In response to worsening Glassdoor scores, there’s been a recent internal push for employees to flood the site with positive reviews. These posts receive little to no engagement, reflecting the growing gap between the curated external narrative and internal reality.

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Camunda Response
11mo
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re glad to hear that you value Camunda’s people, product and remote way of work. Our goal to lead the PO&A category has been consistent, and we have been responsive to economic and technological shifts, ensuring that we build a product with the highest benefits for both current and future customers. We want to surround people with talented colleagues, meaningful challenges, and an environment where passion for your craft drives your success. Thank you again for contributing to the conversation. We’re listening, learning, and committed to building a company that reflects both our ambition and our values.

Explore other reviews about Camunda

5.0
Jul 18, 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great remote first culture. Every tech stack you could really want to get the job done. Great market leading product. The CEO & Chief of Staff really LISTEN and care. Benefits are wonderful, from health, to 401k and much more. Pay is great for the U.S.

Cons

With growth comes pains... we have a lot of new hires & people exiting, which is normal for this type of start up in the midst of a high amount of growth. The toxic leader I believe everyone else posted about is officially gone, so that con is now eliminated.

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Camunda Response
10mo
Thank you for the great feedback! We’re glad to hear that you are enjoying your time at Camunda.
2.0
Jun 5, 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The people who work at Camunda are, of course, the biggest pro. Benefits are good, as well.

Cons

The culture is downright awful. Employee programs have been slashed almost completely - no more retreat, no more regional social gatherings, no time together in person with your teams. Not only that, but the CEO blatantly said Camunda is not the place for job security or work-life balance and if you're looking for that, you can find it elsewhere. People are being laid off left and right. People are fearful for their jobs and I've heard of a lot of team members who are looking elsewhere. The standards that are given when you're hired are sometimes not attainable, especially when there is little to no direction from management. When I started, I had zero training time at all outside of the company onboarding. My team didn't assist at all in helping me learn the ropes- I was just thrown out to the wolves and expected to start projects with no guidance. This tends to be common across multiple teams, as well. A lot of middle management do not know how to run teams and although they go through "people manager training" that doesn't seem to do any good as they're still mostly incompetent.

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Camunda Response
11mo
Thank you for sharing your perspective. At Camunda, we’re in the midst of a significant transformation, shifting from a product-led company to a high-performing, AI-driven, go-to-market organization. That shift brings challenges, and we don’t shy away from acknowledging them. The intent behind our leadership’s messaging is not to downplay the importance of well-being, but to be transparent about the pace and focus required at this stage of our journey. We don’t see work and life as opposing forces. Instead, we believe meaningful work can be an important part of a fulfilling life. That’s why flexibility remains a core value at Camunda. Our fully remote model is designed to give people the autonomy to work where, when, and how it suits them best. We appreciate your feedback and wish you all the best in your next chapter.
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