It is an
interesting place, that is for sure. They are still a
privately held company, although they have been planning to
go public for the last three years or so. However, none of that will ever
pan out because if they did, it wouldn't really be a
technology company that makes tons and tons of money - in reality, it is simply a chain of
call centers around the world. Even if they did go public, the low men on the
totem pole - the agents that do all the work anyway and the lower-level managers - would not get any
benefit from it.
It's true that a lot of people are bitter about the low pay and the bad schedules and the impersonal atmosphere. The attrition rate is, and always has been, sky-high. But the thing about Stream is that it really is a good place to get some experience and then go somewhere else for higher pay. And in spite of their inflexible exterior, they will work with you if you are a student - for business and technology degrees they also have a tuition reimbursement program (too bad I'm a B.A.)
The best way to avoid getting trampled by the system is to make it work for you. I learned that from day one. If you walk around like you own the place then people will treat you like you do. The job is insanely easy and if you know the secrets you can get away with just about anything.