The talent is there. The leadership isn't. - Anonymous employee Complex Employee Review

1.0
17 May 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Complex had genuine brand equity and talented people throughout the organization. That makes it all the more frustrating to watch the company be run the way it is.

Cons

Executive leadership operates on ego, tenure, and proximity to power rather than performance or accountability. There is no coherent business strategy, and more tellingly, no apparent interest in developing one. Decision-making is opinion-based at the top and the consequences flow downward. Appointments are made based on relationships rather than qualifications, including in roles that require deep technical expertise. Asking seasoned professionals to report into leadership with no relevant background isn't just a structural mistake, it's demoralizing to people who have spent careers building real expertise. Compensation and growth are effectively frozen. Annual reviews were canceled under the guise of budget constraints, which reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what reviews are for. Performance conversations, goal-setting, and professional development are not line items; canceling them signals that the company has given up on investing in its people. The RTO policy is the clearest window into how leadership thinks about its workforce. The mandate exists with no meaningful connection to productivity, output, or business outcomes. The stated rationale, making the office look occupied, is not a strategy. Exceptions are applied inconsistently and without explanation. The net effect is a policy that reads as punitive toward exactly the kind of senior, expert, autonomous professionals a media-tech company should be fighting to retain. Layoffs have been handled with a level of callousness that is hard to overstate. The manner in which people have been let go reflects a broader indifference to the humans behind the headcount. If you are a high performer who values transparency, strategic clarity, and being treated like a professional adult, look carefully before accepting an offer here.

Explore other reviews about Complex

5.0
19 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Consistency, Team oriented, Creative, A place to get your foot in the door

Cons

Not enough of this kind of flow.

1.0
21 Apr 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great for networking and clout

Cons

There are some real cultural issues that are hard to ignore. Leadership, particularly at the top, often creates an environment where misogyny feels normalized rather than addressed. It impacts how people are treated, how decisions are made, and ultimately who gets opportunities. There’s also a strong sense that if you’re not considered a “favorite,” your path for growth is extremely limited. Advancement doesn’t always feel tied to performance or impact, but rather proximity to leadership and internal politics. From a business standpoint, decisions can feel short-term and transactional. There’s a pattern of buying into subcultures and trends without genuinely investing in or respecting the communities behind them, which raises questions about long-term vision and stability. The overall work environment can be toxic. Priorities shift often, goals aren’t always clearly aligned, and teams are left trying to make sense of changing direction without much support. Communication from leadership can be harsh and, at times, disrespectful. For those familiar with the company’s past controversies around workplace behavior, it doesn’t feel like much has fundamentally changed. There’s a lingering sense that deeper issues have been managed rather than truly resolved. There is plenty of proof as they carelessly send unhinged emails to employees - next web series will be "surviving Complex".

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