The Return of "Shut Up and Grind" Is Killing Tech Culture

Nicolas Cava
Edited onEdited on Aug 15, 2025
Reading time1 minute

The "shut up and grind" era is back. And it's making tech worse.

We've gone from building cultures of trust to cultures of fear. From empowering people to treating them as expendable.

Big Tech can get away with it. They have unlimited money to hire. You don't.

If you want to attract and keep top talent, your edge isn't fear. It's the best work experience you can offer. As leaders, we're supposed to set the example. Not abandon our ethics the second the power shifts back to us.

When you polarize employers and employees, nobody wins. If you only do right when it's convenient, you were never leading.

This isn't just the human thing to do. It's good business. If you want a company that survives the next boom without bleeding talent.

Are leaders today protecting culture—or exploiting the moment?

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Nicolas Cava

Early-stage CTO helping founders build scalable software and teams from MVP to $5M+ ARR without burnout.

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