They don’t give annual raises—only “real-time rewards,” which are never guaranteed. This effectively locks employees into their starting salary. There is no real growth path in this role, and that fact isn’t hidden. Employees are told to collaborate and advocate with their teams, but in practice there is little incentive for teams to support advancement, even when a direct manager genuinely does. HR’s role is not to enable growth, but to protect the business from liability.
Leadership reflects a very traditional, highly competitive mindset. The CXO is intelligent and driven, but if you don’t fit his specific mold, you’re expendable—something that became very apparent during the 2025 layoffs. Take that with a grain of salt, but the pattern is hard to ignore.
Many creative managers are capable and do good work, but the company provides little training to develop them into strong leaders who can guide and mentor their teams. Even when training exists, a manager’s success often depends on how much lower-level staff carry the workload, making them appear more effective than they truly are. The culture rewards compliance and appearances over genuine leadership and development. It’s more than just office politics at this point—it’s systemic.
