Worst place I've worked at - A Toxic Culture Enabled by "Leadership" - Anonymous employee Estrid Employee Review

1.0
29 Jul 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- People that were doing the actual work were very nice and competent.

Cons

My experience at this company has been overwhelmingly negative, largely due to deeply flawed leadership and an unhealthy work culture: - Toxic Management Culture: The CEO fosters an environment where unprofessional behavior by upper management is not only tolerated but seemingly encouraged. Numerous serious complaints have been dismissed without proper follow-up or accountability. - Fear-Based Leadership: Many in upper management frequently remind employees that they are "replaceable," creating a culture of fear rather than trust or collaboration. - Lack of Trust: There is virtually no trust in the broader employee base. Leadership operates under the assumption that most employees are dispensable, which demoralizes teams and stifles initiative. - Chaotic Direction: Company goals and strategic direction change constantly. These shifts are often poorly communicated, and when problems arise, as they inevitably do, teams are blamed instead of examining the root cause in executive decision-making. - HR’s Candid Advice: In a rare display of honesty, HR representatives often advised employees to seek opportunities elsewhere, acknowledging that efforts to improve working conditions are unlikely to succeed due to leadership arrogance and resistance to feedback, in particular from the CEO. - Performative Diversity: Despite the brand's public messaging about diversity and inclusion, I personally witnessed instances of misogyny, classism, and racism from executives and senior leaders, behavior that goes unaddressed and unpunished.

Explore other reviews about Estrid

2.0
30 Mar 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Beautiful office located in the heart of Stockholm

Cons

Praises themselves on having a great culture but it's super toxic. There's cliques in the office that always keep to themselves and would never even say a word to you. Completely lost what used to make them standout which is body positivity for every body. Company looses talent left and right because the salary is abysmal and there's no flexibility for wfh.

1.0
4 Aug 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

• Company attracts/attracted great talent, who is passionate about their work and has great experience

Cons

An extremely toxic working environment. - CEO thrives on a "hire-and-fire" mentality, creating a place of fear - Shifts in strategy and team structures happen every other month - Long probation periods so roles can be “made redundant” when convenient - When asked about office culture and work-life balance, CEO deflects questions and preaches “hard work is essential” No career growth opportunities, promotions, or salary increases. - CEO doesn’t believe in career growth, bonuses or pay rises - HR openly admits there will be no structure blaming it on ”ever evolving start up culture” 6 years in… - 0 reward for good work or any sort of acknowledgment No transparency - Company clearly often in financial troubles due to projects being stopped last minute / constant ‘restructuring’ - CEO preaches growth and great achievement in company wide meetings but in private admits the company has not been doing well and continues to plateau - “Strongest year yet 2024” is due to 10+ redundancies across business to cut costs Lack of leadership 
- The CEO surrounds himself with an insular group that prioritizes personal relationships over business results - Highly favorited people continue to be promoted while making no effort with wider teams and fueling toxic work culture - The rest of the management is often passive aggressive and engage in bullying culture resulting in employee breakdowns - The manic work ethic has already led to the loss of top talent and unless the founder steps down as CEO, there is no saving

5
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