What is the hiring process like at Wiser?

Pros

Openness/Support: I've never experienced or heard of a company culture where people felt safe enough to be open and vulnerable about their mental health – until Wiser. I can only speak about my team, but I always felt like they had my back no matter what. We once had a company meeting where employees voluntarily shared their mental health journeys and this was genuinely such a touching experience to even just witness and listen, and to be part of a truly supportive and caring environment. Yes, work is work but it's clear from everyone that they care so much more than the work you put out – they care about you. Warm hug: And it really trickles down from the CEO. He truly cares about each and everyone in the company and remembers the achievements you've accomplished, no matter how small. At our company celebration, he called out so many individuals by name to congratulate their specific part to help grow the company – a personal touch that still resonates with me to this day. Growing with you: The company – to an extent – is willing and open to growing with you and your ideas. If you want to completely redirect your career path, there have been countless examples of employees being fully supported to do so. Even if the new direction means leaving the company to join a new one, or to start their own venture, Wiser always had your back. Despite the "Cons" section below, I truly appreciate the experiences I've had with the company and the people. The people I worked with were genuinely awesome and "real". Wiser lived by the sentiment of "Be Real" far before the social media platform existed and I'll be forever grateful for the team.

Cons

Disclaimer: This review is based on an experience from mid-2022. Things hopefully have improved since then as the company was aware of these issues at the time. Diversity: Wiser is not the most diverse company out there. Of course, Wiser is ahead of so many other companies, but many in the UK are not high bars to beat. For a company that aims to change the way we think about work, it was a surprise to me that diversity was not that big enough of a priority – or at least the commitment to diversity was not clearly communicated enough to staff. Diversity is not just gender and race – diversity is also the life experiences that people have, and where they come from. Many staff members seem to come from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. That being said, staff at Wiser were definitely open and would never let race/gender/etc stand in the way of hearing a staff member's opinions. Process: Was always a work in progress, with no set structures for work. This has led to examples of double work and miscommunication. However, Wiser was very aware of this and is actively trying to resolve this, and are somewhat open to suggestions to improve the process. Output/Purpose: Someone else's review really put it best: "Changing the way people think about work first requires changing the way people feel about work." In teams, burnout was definitely a hurdle as the culture encouraged hard work and going beyond your comfort zone. It also felt as if Wiser lost its original creative flair. The work that inspired many to join Wiser was no longer appreciated and needed by the company, and was replaced by a strong desire to grow above anything else. This is nothing new for a company looking to grow – some things just have to go and others are prioritized to ensure growth. However, I'm not sure if this decision was a sustainable one, considering the caliber of staff members who have since left the company. Cult–ure: At times, several staff members have expressed concern that the company was feeling a bit like a cult. This sentiment could also have been influenced by the use of religious imagery to represent teams in the company, such as "Church" referring to the creative department and "Bible" referring to their brand guidelines. I was made aware that a previous Creative team event was held at an actual Church, although I was not there and this was solely an anecdote from a colleague. It may have come across as strange for anyone religious in the company, and those staff members felt too awkward to bring it up. Despite this being the "cons" section, Wiser is a company that I trust is very open to change and to work with current and future employees to make it the most inclusive, welcoming, and successful company possible. These "issues" are by no means permanent and can easily be turned around if they have not been already.

Advice to Management

Keep on with your journey! This journey is only just beginning. The vision of changing the way people think about work is truly needed and I hope you continue doing what you do best, and so much more. Oh and I agree that the religious terminology is kinda strange.

Pros

- Cool Office - They allow dogs (amazing) - Work with fab brands

Cons

- My interview process was poor. I had exceptional feedback during my interview and presentation but since meeting the team, I had to proactively follow up with additional feedback, they were poor with comms, cancelled calls with me 5 minutes prior to the agreed time and seemed like they had a lack of structure managing their recruits. I feel their heart is in the right place and it looks like a buzzing place to work but for me personally, I wanted to see transparent, clear and prompt communication as its reflective on when you work there but this fundamental piece was missing.

Advice to Management

- Structure around the recruitment process - To be clear and prompt with communication, no one wants to wait three weeks for a follow up.

Pros

Work from home , smooth onboarding

Cons

Very less salary only 19k.

Pros

Lots of development opportunities. I had the pleasure of representing the Wiser Academy in front of so many students which has helped develop my confidence and organisational skills during the process!

Cons

Need more in-person team socials!

Pros

Genuinely a brilliant place to start your career! Wiser was a huge part of my university experience as I spent my placement year in one of the recruitment teams, lead my university team as part of the Wiser Academy, and then secured a spot on the Becoming Wiser Graduate Programme. Absolutely loving it! Exposure to Senior Leaders, Founders and CEOs both internally and externally on the Becoming Wiser Programme is a massive plus and you're given a lot of responsibility as a graduate. There's so much openness and communication from Senior Leadership to make sure you're happy and thriving in your role. Managers always have your best interests at heart and push you to develop and grow as much as possible or find a new role that works for you. All of the wonderful extras that our Happiness Team provide for us, a gorgeous office and just so many wonderful people to work alongside.

Cons

Honestly, nothing comes to mind! It's a high-performance environment so you will be given a lot of responsibility but if you're looking for that, you'll love Wiser.