Culture: Not as advertised - Anonymous employee BambooHR Employee Review

2.0
18 Apr 2018
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Company is very financially stable, the office environment is good, they truly have some great people who work there, extra little perks here and there are nice. They have established a very clear "why," and honestly, their product is fantastic and their customer base is enthusiastic and excited about the product. This company WILL continue to be successful, no question. They're a leader in their market and thought leaders in the space. If you mostly care about working for a "winner" and a successful company, this is the place.

Cons

Culture is not what it seems, it's very limiting. You can't work too much (over 40 hours), but you'd better be there 8-5. In some roles, you can’t even come close to getting what you need done and are punished for working more to try to make people happy. You are not trusted to be a professional adult and get your work done unless you’re there at prescribed times. Be prepared to walk on eggshells. Fall in line, or else. Some of their best employees are let go with no announcement or warning, just for seemingly disagreeing or trying to make things better. This is not only recent, but as a pattern of behavior. Honestly, it’s better for those employees, as they always seem to come out better on the other side. They don't reward type-A go-getters who see problems and solve problems, they reward sheep who stay with the flock and don't ask questions. Very difficult to get things done. The founder has to approve every last penny spent. For departments that have to spend money to function, e.g. marketing, it’s excruciatingly painful. Way too conservative and tight. It's turned highly political. Compensation is low market and forget advancement opportunities, they just lean on their “great places to work” awards to get people in the door. They "don't believe in titles," and keep the organization as flat as possible. When you do get advancement, you "lead from where you are" instead of getting an actual promotion and pay increase. Your reward is just more responsibility. In their defense, they're getting slightly better in this area (because they have to play the game to get and keep talent), but it's still not real-world. They lean on hiring young people, mostly out of college, who don't know much better.

Explore other reviews about BambooHR

5.0
10 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

BambooHR is a great place to work with outstanding people.

Cons

BambooHR is focusing heavily on AI, which can come at the expense of jobs.

2.0
25 Jun 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

At the end of my tenure, I really have no pros.

Cons

I'm pretty sure I was "quietly laid off", in the effort of sneaky downsizing without having to actually do formal layoffs. This place was a godsend and a great place to work on my small independent team, and I did great. Then they did massive restructuring, added layers of hierarchy, added process, and basically just starting running a creative team like a line of factory workers. I had a horrible time with my manager on so many different levels, and felt validation when others would reflect the same, but I reflect what everyone else says - narcissistic, micro managing leadership that I now understand play manipulation games. I was put on a performance improvement plan and finally quit due to burnout, stress, and the dissolution of a role and a team that I had from before. They constantly push for solutions and deliverables, but I never really saw anything I delivered actually get treated and implemented with respect. Company policies and siloed team policies and procedures stymie actual effectiveness, and it seems like the leadership acts as your strict grade school teacher rather than having your back.

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