Rackspace

I worked at Rackspace from 2007-2009. That’s as long as I could stand the male dominated and biased environment. It was a “Good ‘ol Boys Club” that consistently viewed females as a means to an end – usually a personal end. The males there preyed on the female employees as potential girlfriends/mistresses and sexual harassment was rampant, though sadly, rarely reported for fear of job loss. Any reports were quickly addressed with monetary compensation and gag orders. I mentored many females while I was there (as I was a rare highly ranking female executive) and the stories that were shared with me were horrific. And any travel with male colleagues was a series of dodging passes and deflecting unwanted advances for the majority of female employees. Every female I encountered there had to consistently outperform her male colleagues simply to receive equal recognition but rarely equal pay. I have no insight into the current environment, hoping that it has improved.

I worked at Rackspace for 8+ years. I left for a while but have returned recently. I returned because of the Friends and Family atmosphere I experienced over my previous tenure.

Honestly, “Friends and Family” is my top requirement in the companies I recently considered. I don’t think you can have it all. Work-life balance just means you compromise on both sides equally. I don’t want to compromise (very much) with my family. So with that in mind:
Will I be promoted to a Director or higher level position? Probably not
Will I receive the same pay and title as my male peers? No (have already experienced this again).
Will I learn more about our industry and continue to enhance my own skill set (and consequently resume)? Yes, you will have to learn and grow to keep up. I enjoy this so its a plus for me.
Will I be able to contribute to building something interesting and impactful but maintain my top priority to my family? Yes, and if that ever changes I’ll know it’s time to move on.

TLDR: Family friendly and interesting problems to solve but difficult to advance if your female and your family is your #1 priority.

Rackspace claims to be a great organization for women in tech. However, that was not my personal experience.
I spent three years on the same team and had a few different managers during that time. Two of my direct managers were female and both were horrible leaders. Neither had much (if any) technical skill/experience and both seemed very threatened by any other female Rackers with any skills or talent. One of these women had very little emotional intelligence and would cry every time anyone voiced an opposing view. The environment was very clickish and the only employees that had any career progression were the ones that were Manager-favorites. Hard work, problem-solving and knowledge took a back seat to brown-nosing and taking credit for others work. Other female leaders in the department were stand-offish, petty, and condescending. It’s no doubt that this environment contributed to the high turnover rate and limited career progression on my team.

I’ve worked at Rackspace for 13 years and I still love it. I started in an entry level position and have been promoted 6 times in my time here. I have never once felt like because I’m a woman I wasn’t afforded the same opportunities. In fact, when I come into work it’s not about my gender its about the quality of my work and the way I treat customers and fellow Rackers. It is not a perfect company, but no company is. You have plenty of opportunity to progress in your career with hard work, and if you are on a team where you can’t seem to meet your career goals, then it’s time to make a plan and put it into action to apply for a different role and/or a different team. The possibilities are numerous for career advancement at Rackspace though the path requires hard work, perseverance, and a growth mindset. Where there’s a will, there is always a way. I recommend Rackspace as a great place to work.

Unfortunately I saw the sad, realistic environment all women (middle management and above) face in tech . In summary, a LOT of cat fighting. While there were supportive Women Organization, it was lip service and a great HR check list for awards in the industry. Reality was different. it was always about ‘who your knew the longest, who you exchanged prized inside scoop with, and sadly, and sadly preferential treatment given to those who were in the ‘inner circle.’ Women Leadership (some who were themselves unqualified for roles) ended up hiring even lesser qualified management members under, hence managers were political. Lots of credit given to being seen at your desk than the quality of work produced hence not as family friendly as they make it out to be. They do have a lot of celebrations and invite families out but not every kid wants to show up at parents work place. Their definition of family friendly isn’t ideal for everyone. Heavy emphasis on metrics but the metrics themselves were flawed at reporting. Those who knew how to finagle it held power while those who questioned it were sidelined.

I enjoyed my contract with Rackspace alot. Great perks, lots of good training. I loved the old relics left in the mall they bought. I worked in Dillards!! Great company!!

My experience at Rackspace was not a positive one. There were no opportunities for advancement or even the ability to move out of the department to learn and grow. The classes through Rack U were limited or non-existent. And even if there was a class available, the leadership frowned on time away from our desks. The leadership cared more about the metrics than the happiness and enrichment of their staff. Requests for mentorship or assistance in finding a better fit within the Rackspace “family” were ignored. As people left, there was no backfill and so more and more was put on the remaining employees without a change in metric expectations. My time there was a huge disappointment.

This is a very family friendly – family supportive place to work. ‘Friends and family’ is one of the core values and it extends beyond coworkers and respects employees’ family just as much as the “Rackspace” family. Career advancement for women all depends on which department you are working in…customer facing roles give a lot of support to women but there were other sections within the organization where advancement of women was not as prevalent.

Overall a good place for women in tech. Career advancement depends on what you do and what you want, as the organization structure is a bit flat. The current environment is chaotic as the company tries to cut costs and become more efficient, as a result of a shift toward new businesses, being bought by private equity, and going private. Do your homework and know where the business is at.