I have been at Relias for a while and am ashamed to admit that I fell for all they stated during my interview. They told me it was a great place to work and on my tour through the office all the exciting things were pointed out. I observed the employees during my tour and they all appeared happy--that was years ago. The same walkthrough now is the opposite and dismal at best. There are still some happy employees but those are the ones that apparently count. We all should count but it's become quite evident that many of us don't.
The company boasts healthy debate but as soon as you begin to professionally and respectfully disagree you get shunned. If you kindly explain a difference of opinion then you get shut down.
The company boasts we are all about culture but they won't let you eat at your own desk. They say "eat at the cafe". The "cafe", as they call it, is some coffee and free bananas. If I want to eat at my desk to be more productive, why can't I? I'm not some toddler that cannot clean up after myself if I make a mess. I don't need a crew of employees patrolling the areas to see if I'm obeying or disobeying.
The company boasts rapid growth which means many open opportunities--those opportunities are for the favorites. Those are for the employees they need to promote to create a more diverse vision and perception. I've seen too many great people leave voluntarily and nothing is done to retain them. I've seen great people get laid off because they made too much money and could be replaced with 1 or 2 new people at a reduced rate. The recent layoff resulted in a loss of 45 employees yet the weeks following had those positions posted as openings on job boards.
The company boasts great benefits. If you think a few free snacks are a great benefit then this could be true. Oddly enough, I've never been able to pay my mortgage with Veggie Straws.
The company boasts a fun and friendly environment. There are games to play as you walk around the different floors if you like chess or want to play music on a bamboo wall. I
The company does NOT boast fair pay. Actually, they are quite proud to fall way below the average pay scale for similar jobs in the area. They openly admit the majority of staff is underpaid and state their payment can be taken through the free coffee, snacks, games, free book clubs, etc.
The company was once an inviting place to work. It disappoints me to see the rapid decline and the antiquated beliefs of those in charge. The ones determining the low pay are those that make 6+ figures. When I started at Relias I believed in the people but as years have gone by my belief has waned incredibly. I thought this opportunity would prove to be a positive game changer. Unfortunately, I've awakened to the harsh reality that Relias is not determined to treat people as adults or equally. All companies should protect their profitability but Relias needs to understand they would likely be more profitable if they put some of the money back into their employees.
