Layoffs left a bad taste in my mouth - Anonymous employee BetterUp Employee Review

3.0
Apr 23, 2020
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I have a strong belief in the product offering at BetterUp -- coaching and the self-development platform are amazingly impactful for the employees that receive it, and the companies that pay for it. The company has invested heavily in behavioral science, meaning that there is a real focus on driving positive outcomes (and not just engagement). BetterUp also has a very good remote work culture.

Cons

I don't fault BetterUp for doing layoffs during this unprecedented time. This is an extremely hard time for businesses in general, and BetterUp has not been meeting its revenue growth targets even prior to COVID-19. I get it, they needed to drastically reduce costs. With BetterUp's mission to, "help professionals everywhere pursue their lives with greater clarity, purpose, and passion", I expected the company to be an exemplar of approaching layoffs in a humane way. Instead, it felt cold and calculating, with little recognition of the humans that were impacted. BetterUp also had one of the first layoffs among the cohort of Silicon Valley growth-stage firms, and there was little mention of other ways to significantly cut costs before the layoff. I've also heard from remaining employees that many have lost significant trust for the leadership team due to how this was handled. After reading the letter from Carta's CEO about their layoff, I can see very clearly the gap between what a candid but humane approach might look like, and the cold distant approach BetterUp actually took. My recommendation to candidates: BetterUp is still a pretty good place to work, but remember that it is a business first and don't be fooled into thinking all the positive psychology talk will save you from a sink-or-swim workplace.

Explore other reviews about BetterUp

5.0
Jun 10, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I'm not held here against my will for a cause... I'm paid to do something I actually care about. I see a lot of people on Glassdoor debating the strength of the business model, but I've never seen anyone argue that what BetterUp is trying to do isn't worth doing. I'm a part of a company thats net positive for the world. That alone feels like a feat in 2026. AND I'm getting paid well. No "mission discount".

Cons

This isn't a money-growing-on-trees unicorn startup from 2018. This business model is hard. We're selling human potential development when most companies are trying to figure out how to replace humans with AI. Its not easy but I think its kind of important... A lot of people experience being overwhelmed here. Thats real. It happens enough that clearly the culture is playing a role. Every company has its own version of crazy. My advice to people thinking about working here: ask direct questions in your interviews to figure out if you're okay with Betterup's kind of crazy. You'll get honest answers. After 3+ years I've genuinely grown to love it

2
5.0
Jun 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Nearly 8 years in, and the work still pulls me forward. What keeps me at BetterUp is that the problems are genuinely hard and genuinely worth solving. I came from engineering, so I'm wired to care about infrastructure, not just features, and this is one of the rare places where you can build something foundational and actually see it move metrics, clear escalations, and unblock a whole go-to-market motion. The mission isn't decorative here. I can feel the thread between the work and the outcome. BetterUp also trusts you to figure things out across lanes. I've written SQL, prototyped with AI tools, facilitated workshops, and co-designed vendor strategy, all as a PM, because the culture doesn't penalize curiosity or reaching into adjacent territory. And honestly, some of my closest friendships came out of this place. The people I work with, on engineering, on cross-functional teams, and in peer mentorship, are people I genuinely learn from and, in some cases, people I can't imagine not having in my life. That combination of meaningful infrastructure work, real trust, and people who challenge you and become your people is not easy to find. The benefits span beyond general work-life-balance, if you're curious about something, there's always an open door to learn and contribute. As a woman in tech, I cherish the fact that our colleagues listen to women, and our insight is taken into account instead of just ignored. It's nice to feel safe at work, able to speak your mind freely.

Cons

If you want a boring job, this is not the place for you.

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