Workplace reviews and discussion: 醬子科技股份有限公司

The boss is the type who suddenly decides to do something as soon as he thinks of it. This applies to both the company’s direction and its policies—they constantly change, and in the long term, it is completely unclear which direction the company intends to take. Management is based on “the boss has the final say,” with micromanagement being the norm. He needs to know what you are doing every day, even every hour, especially when a project is delayed. However, projects are basically always delayed. Projects are often taken on at very low profit margins or at prices that were miscalculated in order to win the contract, and the only solution is to make up for it by putting in more hours. The business model of a contract development company is: junior programmers—low pay × long hours; senior programmers—high pay × shorter hours. Isn’t the result basically the same? Unless the company fundamentally resolves its survival model of winning contracts through low prices, it will remain stuck in this quagmire forever.

During the two or three years when apps were at their peak, the boss successfully capitalized on the trend. A few years ago, the company was a well-known app outsourcing firm, and its achievements were quite substantial. However, the app boom quickly declined afterward, and the market suddenly became a red ocean. The company failed to transform successfully and now survives by taking on large numbers of cheap, low-margin outsourcing projects. Engineers working themselves to the bone is the norm.

The boss’s word is law. If he says something is easy, then it is easy—so why can’t it be finished in four hours? Overtime pay can be claimed under company policy, but it is recommended that you first familiarize yourself with the relevant rights under the Labor Standards Act, so that you are not intimidated by a supervisor’s words into being afraid to claim it. The Labor Affairs Bureau is absolutely everyone’s good friend.