Upstream USA reviews

4.1

75% would recommend to a friend

(48 total reviews)
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Mark Edwards

77% approve of CEO

71% positive business outlook

Upstream USA has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 48 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Upstream USA employee rating is 20% above average for employers within the Healthcare industry (3.4 stars).

Reviews by job title

48 reviews
1.0
May 2, 2024

Toxic, distrusting, and inequitable

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The pay and benefits are great, and the remote culture is great for folks who prefer this.

Cons

This is the most toxic, fake place I have ever worked at. There is a serious lack of psychological safety. A culture that centers on trusting only a select few (mostly the white leaders), and promotes tattle-tale behaviors. Tiny mistakes or even different working styles are often written up without the employee's knowledge until it is too late or overblown, when it could have been easily addressed earlier on. Processes constantly change and new hires are not onboarded well, but when someone "messes up" it gets completely blown up and none of the leaders are willing to take an ounce of accountability. The way that VPs deliver "feedback" is appalling and makes you feel like you need to watch everything you say - it is exhausting. The problem is that these leaders do not even consider that they could be doing something wrong, inequitable, or be promoting an environment that is literally making people physically ill from anxiety. Leadership is extremely patronizing at BEST. They simply do not trust many of the individual contributors, leading to mircro management and punitive management styles - it's as if no one has ever managed human beings before.

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Upstream USA Response
2y
Thanks for taking the time to post a review about your experiences working at Upstream. We truly value input from former and current employees. While we’re pleased to hear you think highly of our compensation, benefits and remote working culture, we’re of course disheartened to hear you describe an employee experience that does not live up to our values or to the work environment we strive for. We foster an environment of providing and receiving feedback. In fact, thanks in part to employee feedback, we have just launched a coaching program designed to empower managers with essential leadership skills, fostering collaboration within teams, and promoting transparent and compassionate communication. The first session is scheduled for later this month. If you are a current employee, we encourage you to reach out to your HR business partner or our Head of Organizational Effectiveness & Culture to discuss any concerns or frustrations you are experiencing in the workplace in a confidential manner.
5.0
Apr 19, 2024

Love my job

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Flexible, Upward mobility, pays well, progressive

Cons

Always Transitioning Always Transitioning Always Transitioning

1.0
Mar 28, 2024

Avoid

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Decent pay and benefits (for a non-profit)

Cons

Upstream USA is the two-kids-in-a-trenchcoat version of a non-profit. It feels like it’s run by children who cosplay as professionals, which is made worse by the fact that so many of the directors are workplace bullies. Some observations about working at Upstream: •Completely focused on optics…the mission is an afterthought •Abysmal workplace for marginalized staff •Reckless use of donor funds (lavish full-staff retreats, swag, etc.) •Objectionable disregard for metrics & data •Lack of expertise across leadership, resulting in weak programs •Indifferent to the needs/concerns of individual contributors •Nebulous goals/directives that lead to constant confusion/blame •Abrasive directors that lie to/about and disparage their colleagues

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Upstream USA Response
2y
Thanks for taking the time to post a review from your time working at Upstream. We truly value input from former and current employees. While we’re pleased to hear you think highly of our compensation and benefits, we’re of course disheartened to hear you describe an employee experience that does not live up to our values or to the work environment we strive for. Upstream is a fast-growing organization, and equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values. We work every day to build a culture that reflects that. In addition, we are proud of our people, our in-house expertise, and the partnerships we have forged with 130+ healthcare organizations to help expand access to contraceptive care. Thanks again for your feedback.
Viewing 4 - 6 of 48 Reviews

Glassdoor has 51 Upstream USA reviews submitted anonymously by Upstream USA employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Upstream USA is right for you.