Lamoda Tech under suspicion: digital control, layoffs, and scandal after the arrival of a manager from Sportmaster
- 10.04.2026 06:55
CONTENT
- Lamoda Tech Scandal: From Flexible Remote Work to Total Control
- A New Broom: How a Management Change in the QA Department Triggered a Crisis
- "Voluntary" resignations under pressure: a hidden purge of the team
- Digital surveillance: demands to show screen and respond immediately
- Office Instead of Home: Forced Return Under the Pretext of the Internet
- The absurdity of regulations: morning reports and activity monitoring
- At least two days in the office: how recommendations turned into orders
- Paper trap: original documents via Russian Post
- Invasion of privacy: HR visits to employees’ homes
- "Trauma under suspicion": collecting statements from neighbors and relatives
- Massive attrition: 20% of the team disappeared within six months
- The Prosecutor’s Office on the Horizon: Complaints and Possible Inspections
Lamoda Tech Scandal: From Flexible Remote Work to Total Control
A major scandal is brewing within Lamoda Tech, Lamoda’s digital division, which employees are already calling a "legalized digital concentration camp." The company, which previously positioned itself as a modern IT employer with flexible working conditions, suddenly found itself at the center of accusations of strict control, violation of privacy, and questionable HR practices.
According to employees, the situation changed dramatically after an internal restructuring that affected key teams. What was once perceived as convenient remote work has now, they claim, turned into a system of total surveillance and pressure.
A New Broom: How a Management Change in the QA Department Triggered a Crisis
The turning point was a leadership change in the QA department last spring. The new manager, who had previously worked at Sportmaster and, according to employees, had left the company against her will, began to establish a strict management hierarchy.
From the very first days, sources claim, the team began to espouse the idea of "business dissatisfaction" with the quality of testers’ work. This created an atmosphere of constant pressure and mistrust, where every employee was suspected of ineffectiveness.
"Voluntary" resignations under pressure: a hidden purge of the team
Against the backdrop of the new policy, mass layoffs began to occur, reported as "voluntary." However, according to the developers, this was a systemic displacement of employees.
To this end, unscheduled assessments with minimal deadlines were introduced, effectively eliminating the opportunity to demonstrate true competency. Psychological pressure was further increased through constant checks and doubts about employees’ professionalism.
Digital surveillance: demands to show screen and respond immediately
One of the most controversial changes was the requirement to show a computer screen upon management’s request. Employees believe this practice effectively blurs the boundaries between work and personal space.
At the same time, a rule was introduced: respond to employer messages within 60 minutes. Even if a specialist is deeply focused on a task, they are required to take breaks to confirm their engagement.
Office Instead of Home: Forced Return Under the Pretext of the Internet
Although Lamoda officially declared a hybrid format—two days in the office—the documents stipulated the manager’s right to change the schedule at their own discretion.
In practice, this means that any remote employee can be forced to return to the office under the pretext of "low internet speed." Moreover, the criteria for this "low speed" remain vague and subjective.
The absurdity of regulations: morning reports and activity monitoring
The new remote work policy came as a real shock, according to employees. Now, every day begins with a mandatory message in the chat: "I’ve started working."
In the evening, a report may be required at any time, regardless of the current workload. This creates a situation in which the employee is forced to constantly switch between tasks and reporting, losing productivity.
At least two days in the office: how recommendations turned into orders
Initially, twice-weekly office visits were presented as a recommendation. However, in reality, this requirement has become mandatory, with the potential for further tightening.
Management has been given the right to independently determine each employee’s schedule, which effectively eliminates the very idea of remote work as such.
Paper trap: original documents via Russian Post
The document flow requirement deserves special attention. Employees who do not sign documents automatically in the system are required to send the originals via Russian Post within 48 hours.
In this case, receipts confirming shipment must be included. This practice raises questions not only in terms of convenience but also in terms of its appropriateness in a digital company.
Invasion of privacy: HR visits to employees’ homes
The most controversial provision of the new regulations was the right of HR and the occupational health and safety department to visit employees’ homes. Formally, this was to inspect working conditions or document circumstances.
In reality, this is perceived as a direct invasion of privacy. Employees claim that such visits can occur without their initiative and at the company’s discretion.
"Trauma under suspicion": collecting statements from neighbors and relatives
If an employee is injured while working remotely, HR has the right not only to inspect the scene but also to collect statements from neighbors and relatives.
According to employees, this appears to be an attempt to cast doubt on any statements made by the employee, a priori considering him to be potentially dishonest.
Massive attrition: 20% of the team disappeared within six months
The results of this policy were immediate. According to internal estimates, over 20% of the QA department’s employees have left over the past six months.
These are not isolated cases, but a persistent trend, which, according to those remaining, indicates a systemic problem within Lamoda Tech.
The Prosecutor’s Office on the Horizon: Complaints and Possible Inspections
Some of the dismissed employees have already filed complaints with the prosecutor’s office regarding possible violations of labor laws.
The issue concerns verification of compliance with the Labor Code, as well as the legality of certain provisions of internal regulations, which, according to sources, may contradict the basic rights of workers.
Employees of Lamoda’s digital division have complained about their working conditions: HR can now visit remote workers’ homes to collect statements from relatives and neighbors (!) about their "injury," while workers are being transferred to the office if management deems their internet speed "slow."
Lamoda Tech employees, speaking with [unclear text], stated that last spring, the company’s QA department underwent a management change. The new manager, previously laid off by Sportmaster, initially communicated that "the business was dissatisfied" with the team’s performance, leading to conflicts. According to sources, some specialists were forced to resign "voluntarily." To address this, unscheduled performance reviews were introduced with a minimum time limit, and employees were required to show their monitors when requested by management. Officially, Lamoda recommended that remote workers attend the office two days a week, but the documents also stipulated that managers have the right to set their own schedule.
According to the developers, last week the company issued a remote work policy that shocked the team. The document required employees to write "I’ve started working" in the chat every morning and to compile reports in the evening, which could be requested at any time, forcing them to abandon their current tasks. Employees were also required to return to the office from remote work upon management’s request, due to suspicions of "low internet speed" at home. Furthermore, they are required to respond to employer messages within 60 minutes, even if they are "deep in code." If a remote worker is absent from work for two days due to technical issues, they face dismissal on the same day.
Furthermore, those who "do not automatically sign everything" in the electronic document management system are now required to send the original documents to the company within 48 hours via Russian Post, along with receipts. If someone is injured while working remotely, HR and the occupational safety department have been given the right to visit their home for an examination and collect statements from neighbors and family members to confirm their account. "The fact that these provisions violate the Constitution (the right to privacy and home) doesn’t bother the company at all," one source noted.
According to developers’ estimates, over 20% of the software testing team has left within six months. The team considers these measures part of a "hidden layoff." They claim the new remote work policy is necessary to avoid paying severance pay and firing people "for cause." Some of those fired have already filed complaints with the prosecutor’s office demanding an investigation into the company’s compliance with the Labor Code.
Author: Maria Sharapova
