Handshake reviews

3.1

45% would recommend to a friend

(64 total reviews)

Garrett Lord

43% approve of CEO

40% positive business outlook

Reviews by job title

64 reviews

Reviews about "Compensation"

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1.0
Feb 17, 2023

The many recent reviews here paint an accurate picture

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-remote (some roles now being pushed back to offices) -decent benefits (weak 1% 401K) -started out as a worthwhile mission (now way offtrack) -many kind passionate coworkers who really care and work hard (many laid off)

Cons

Handshake could be great but unfortunately is flailing due to immature, inexperienced, ego-driven, fear-based leadership from the top down. - When the CEO speaks, execs leap and scramble to appease. How can reactive leadership and a lack of trust, appreciation or respect for employees create a positive healthy culture or grow revenue? Oh yeah, it can't. -There is no clear direction or strategy communicated by execs. -Employees are not valued or developed, good people managers are scarce. -Leadership shows favoritism to employees who have been around a few years while newer employees don’t have the same (or any) opportunity for growth or promotion. - Hiring people from certain logos is a CEO directive. People from big tech names are seen as prestigious and shown preference. This is misaligned with 1. the company’s mission to democratize opportunity and 2. their empty claims to value DEI. - Handshake leadership insists “transparency,” is a core value, but recently employees were gaslit when laid off but told it was a “performance exit”. Interesting that prior to someone’s performance being so bad they lose their job, goals were never communicated, manager feedback never provided, and reviews never had. Firing employees over a performance problem that everyone knows didn't exist is a discpicable way to operate. -The CEO’s widespread distrust negatively impacts the culture, most notably in severe micro-management that I’ve never seen before and never want to see again.

4.0
Feb 15, 2023

pretty good

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

pretty good, good culture and interesting market

Cons

Management is going into a performance centric mindset

1.0
Feb 1, 2023

Not worth it

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-Fully remote, no current plan to RTO -Compensation is decent

Cons

Handshake has become fond of saying it has a performance culture. In reality, the culture feels like it is based purely on fear. ICs are churned through more rapidly than I've ever seen, either being fired or many quitting because of a toxic culture of pressure and overwork. Managers spend more time in daily interviews to backfill the multiple people they fired than they do supporting their team. Executives say they encourage using your unlimited PTO. Meanwhile, taking PTO is commented on negatively by some managers.

Viewing 46 - 48 of 64 Reviews

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