I worked for CafePress for four years, through several acquisitions, before PlanetArt bought the company. Within months of the new leadership taking over, I knew my days at the company would be numbered.
The benefits the company provides are very bad, especially the 401K match and family leave. When PlanetArt took over, I was 8 months pregnant. Our previous owners had a 12 week, full pay leave policy. PlanetArt requires you to use short-term disability - which you pay for - for maternity leave, which provided me with 6 weeks of recovery at 50% pay.
I worked as a graphic designer on the creative team where we, for years before PlanetArts acquisition, had run photo shoots, created marketing emails, social posts, landing pages, display ads, content designs, and other projects. We were told by upper management at PlanetArt that they loved what we were doing. However, over the course of the following months, they began to strip away our creative voice and input. PlanetArt “leaders” would tear down our work, claim we were incapable of following direction, and micromanage our projects all while giving unrealistic deadlines and expectations.
In addition to having no trust in their employees skills, they have no respect for their humanity. Language from leadership was frequently abusive and flippant, and attempts to mediate or improve relationships and processes were shut down. When one of my team members left the company, their work was shoveled on to another team member who, after asking for help and being denied, spent over 100 overtime hours on nights and weekends to stay caught up.
If you’re looking for a company that will treat you well, value your ideas, and enrich your life, don’t apply. You don’t want PlanetArt.
If you have any passion or skill as a graphic designer, don’t apply. PlanetArt doesn’t want you.
