Broken Promises
“You’ll have a better work-life balance with all the extra time you have not sitting in traffic!” - I’ve never worked so many hours, so consistently week-to-week, in my life. I also couldn’t take any vacation or sick days without knowing I would severely fall behind.
One of Stride’s “guiding principles” is “Radical Transparency”. Whenever prompted, I was very transparent about my workload, ideas, and feelings - but didn’t receive it in return. Frequently, I would explain a problem I was having with some tool or process, and never hear about it again - regardless of whether something was done about it behind the scenes. I was also reprimanded for being honest with a client about my confusion with one of their accounts, despite my willingness to fix it with some direction.
Also in contrast to “radical transparency”: you’ll never hear about what’s going on internally, except for maybe a blip during all-hands meetings. This even applies to happy events, like the QuickBooks Connect conference that all employees are mandated to attend - there’s very, very sparse information given. It’s now three weeks away and nobody has even announced the name of the hotel that the employees are staying in, much less any plans for team-building or get-togethers. It’s very bizarre - why all the secrets?
Ultimately, I think my belief in “radical transparency” is what led to Stride suddenly deciding to terminate me. The lesson: never admit to your CSM that you are stuck and don’t know how to solve a problem; just figure out how to fix it on your own/with co-ALs’ help. In addition, the moment you suspect your CSM doesn’t like you, find a new job. Stride will fire you in the blink of an eye, and all information is controlled and funneled through the CSMs.
Confusing, hopeless work environment
There’s high turn-over, which is very hush-hush. Employees who quit or are fired are quietly erased from the organization with no explanation given to the group. I strongly suspect the huge workload has caused a lot of burnout and resentment.
You have absolutely no say in which clients you’re given. You also have absolutely no say when you think the relationship is turning sour - it’s immediately your fault, regardless of the reason the client is unhappy. At Stride, we were taught not to think about whose “fault” it is, as this is being “below the line”. However, this rule only applies to the ALs; a finger is still pointed at someone, and it’s the ALs.
You have absolutely no say in what tools you use: in particular, you use QBO. I’ve never met an accountant who actually *likes* QBO, and being mandated to attend QB Connect felt like an insult to injury. Just be prepared to live in QBO if you take a job at Stride.
Privacy is not respected. This goes for employees - I was expected to be added to client bank accounts (yes, my name appears on their statements!), scan and send copies of my driver’s license, and provide my social security number to banks when asked to do so - all for access to client accounts. Imagine my surprise when I received a physical letter from one of my client’s banks to my home address to help verify my identity.
This doesn't apply only to employees - medical patients’ very private data (full names, DOBs, procedures done, diagnoses, insurance information… even BMIs!) are sent to Stride multiple times a week on medical bills. When I raised the alarm about this, the proposed solution was to sign a few more CYA waivers stating that Stride will not distribute that information. Can you imagine if you were one of these patients, having very private information unnecessarily given to an accounting firm? And what happens if a Stride employee’s laptop gets stolen and all the information is revealed? Stride does not take privacy seriously.
You will be expected to pitch in and help develop and shape organizational processes, which sounds good on the surface - but this is in addition to your job duties, for no additional pay or company shares, and very little acknowledgment.
Stride has a very strange work environment that values pleasing clients over ethics, privacy, or your own good faith and work ethic; wrought with inconsistencies and double-standards; where expectations run very high and are often unreasonable, given the tools you’re given.
