When you hear names like Digikala or MAPNA in Iran, you probably think of market power, infrastructure, growth. But what happens inside those firms—how they hire people, how teams talk, how management works, how new employees are integrated—is far less visible. Below are a few companies for which public traces exist; use these as reference points and always dig deeper before you accept a role.

Digikala

Background & Scale

Founded in 2006 in Tehran. As of 2021, reports indicate it had ~8,200 employees. The company describes its working environment as “intimate and informal” where challenges are expected from day one, and colleagues are visible through their work. Digikala states benefits such as learning & growth, working with professionals, health insurance, and referral bonuses in its employer branding.

Recruitment

Digikala often posts roles across business, technical, logistics, operations, and digital product lines via IranTalent and its own platform. In its branding, it focuses on challenge, growth, and exposure to professionals. From employee reviews, many people mention that recruitment can be competitive, and sometimes the terms (salary, growth path) may shift after joining.

On Glassdoor, Digikala holds an average rating of 3.9 / 5, with ~84% of employees indicating they would recommend the company. In reviews, culture & values are rated ~3.6, while work/life balance tends to receive lower ratings (~2.9).

Team Communication

Employee reviews suggest that among co-workers there is helpfulness and collaboration. On Indeed, one QA Automation Engineer describes a “dynamic environment with scrum meeting, interact with business, developer etc.” Some comments mention interference of many sessions / meetings that complicate workflow.

Because Digikala describes its workplace as “intimate and informal,” internal communication is likely encouraged to be open and direct among teams. That said, cross-departmental alignment (e.g. between logistics, operations, marketing) may face bottlenecks as many large companies do.

Team Management

Rapid growth tends to stretch management systems; some reviews note that leadership promises in recruiting phases are not always matched by later resource support.

Larger organizational structure may mean decisions sometimes take longer, and autonomy at lower levels may be constrained. Given that e-commerce is performance-sensitive, management is likely highly metric-driven (sales, delivery, conversion, retention).

Onboarding / New Employee Integration

No public onboarding manual is published. Based on industry norms and employee comments, likely steps include:

• Offer stage + background checks / contract finalization
• Day 1 orientation: deliver access to tools, introduce team, explain company mission & values
• Early training phases (systems, workflows, domain knowledge)
•  Mentor / buddy assignment
• 30/60/90-day check-ins and performance feedback

Many employees refer to the need to adapt quickly and face real challenges shortly after joining.

MAPNA Group

Background & Scope

MAPNA is a large Iranian engineering conglomerate active in power, renewable energy, rail transportation, oil & gas, and heavy industrial sectors.

The group includes over 30 subsidiary companies and develops gas and steam turbines, generators, electrical control systems, locomotive manufacturing, and other industrial infrastructure. MAPNA’s own website discusses “recruitment procedures” in several stages.

Recruitment

MAPNA describes a multi-stage process:

1. Receiving / storing resumes in a database

2. Initial qualification assessment (expertise, experience)

3. Specialized job interview

4. Telephone interview

5. Assessment center

6. Admissions / hiring committee decision

The group markets itself as providing dynamic environments and equal employment opportunities for university graduates. A subsidiary (Mapna Boiler & Equipment) also lists “job opportunities” forms on its site.

Team Communication

On Glassdoor, MAPNA is rated for “suitable work environment and culture,” though some reviews cite “differences in organizational and management styles” as drawbacks.

On IranTalent, MAPNA is listed as employing 500+ people, industry: power & utilities. Given the nature of its projects (power plants, infrastructure), communication is likely formalized: scheduled meetings, reporting, cross-functional coordination, and regular progress reviews.

Team Management

MAPNA must balance large-scale project management (cost, scheduling, compliance) and internal governance.

The existence of assessment center in recruitment suggests MAPNA values competency and structured evaluation among roles and promotions. Subcontractors, regulatory bodies, and multiple stakeholder coordination require managerial discipline and oversight.

Onboarding / Integration

MAPNA states that newcomers begin work in “an active and dynamic environment” working alongside experts. They also emphasize talent development as part of their HR agenda. Given its engineering / industrial orientation, new hires likely receive training in technical safety, domain equipment / systems, project protocols, and rotations or shadowing in early months.

What You Must Know Before Working There: Four Critical Dimensions

Recruitment Process

1. 1. Ask: How many interview rounds? Will there be technical tests / assessment centers?
   2. Know: The timeline (weeks to months) and whether you’ll receive feedback if not selected.
   3. Confirm: Whether the job description and compensation are fixed or negotiable before you sign.

Team Communication Style

1. 1. Clarify: What tools are used (email, instant messaging, internal platform)?
   2. Understand: Frequency of cross-team syncs, decision announcements, upward feedback channels.
   3. Check: How transparent is internal information (e.g. roadmaps, metrics)?

Management & Leadership Style

1. 1. Observe: Is your manager directive / top-down or collaborative / coaching?
   2. Ask: How is performance measured (metrics, targets, evaluations)?
   3. Inquire: What is the promotion path? How often do reviews happen?

Onboarding & New Hire Support

1. 1. Ask: What does Day 1 look like? Is there a mentor, orientation, training schedule?
   2. Check: If there is a 30 / 60 / 90-day review or feedback process.
   3. Investigate: What learning resources or rotations are available for growth.