Boys club breeds a culture of insecurity - Anonymous employee Golden Hippo Employee Review

2.0
12 Jul 2018
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

fully paid health insurance, fitness classes, free food, casual dress, over-the-top parties

Cons

The culture at Golden Hippo is perhaps the most detrimental aspect of working there. It's very unprofessional at all levels, and terrible, disgusting behavior simply goes unchecked. Women do not support one another, which creates a culture of cliques, gossip, and trash talking. Some women are downright rude and disrespectful when interviewing candidates. The fact that it's a boy's club is likely what creates a heightened sense of insecurity there for everyone, not just women. I once asked an employee to show me how to do something, and he was so intimidated that he made me feel like a complete idiot and even insulted me. Men are also wildly insecure there. While the healthcare benefits are excellent, the PTO policy is ancient (10 days). There's also no work from home policy (they're openly against it), yet certain employees get to regularly work from home whenever they want. It's unfair that certain employees make their own rules no matter what the policy is, and it goes overlooked due to favoritism. Imagine the frustration of trying to talk to an employee in-person to solve a pressing issue only to find they're working from home that day and are harder to track down, when it's been made known that it's not allowed. It makes upper management look sloppy and can cause resentment among employees. Overall, it's a sink-or-swim kind of place where the only thing that matters is the company's bottom line, no matter how much progress you've made or the amount of work you've put in. Over the course of a year, I saw around 15 people get fired and even entire departments at the drop of a hat. Unless you're personally making a lot of money for the company, it's hard to feel secure.

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Golden Hippo Response
7y
Thank you so much for taking the time to write us a review about your experience at Golden Hippo. We are happy to hear that you appreciate our company benefits and events. Yeah, our parties are a lot of fun. We are sorry to hear your experience with the culture and fellow coworkers wasn’t great. We’ve seen it in a few cases; Golden Hippo is not a perfect fit for everybody. We have purposely created a flat organization where people are granted lots of space to be creative and bring the best of themselves to work. We are data and results driven. There is little hand holding and no micromanaging. We can see how this may create uneasiness. Some people do better in structured environments while others thrive in ecosystems like ours. The people that do make it here actually love the company. As recent as May 2018, we were ranked tied for first place for Best Culture for companies of all sizes in Los Angeles by Comparably, ahead of companies as big as ZipRecruiter; and we ranked first place on Companies for Women in Los Angeles according to the same survey. Thank you for the feedback on the vacation days. We actually looked into this, and you are right. I’m happy to tell you that we made a change to our PTO policy. Effective October 8th, vacation days for new hires will jump from 10 to 15 days per year. Thanks for pointing this out. Thank you again for your review. And thanks for you time at Golden Hippo. We wish you the best in the next chapter of your career.

Explore other reviews about Golden Hippo

5.0
21 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Great team - Reasonable time tracking requirements - low workload

Cons

None, it was one of the better jobs I've had,

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Golden Hippo Response
1mo
Thank you for sharing your experience with Golden Hippo! We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed your time with the team and felt supported in your role. Creating a positive environment with great people, balanced expectations, and meaningful work is something we care deeply about. We appreciate your feedback and wish you continued success in your next chapter!
5.0
6 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The people here are genuinely the highlight. Across departments you'll find collaborative, kind, and talented teammates who make the day-to-day enjoyable. The company also offers real flexibility. Remote and hybrid options are treated as a genuine benefit, not just a recruiting talking point. Compensation and benefits are competitive, and leadership clearly invests in taking care of employees. Beyond the perks, there's a strong sense of purpose behind the work. This is a company that believes in its products and its mission in health and wellness, and that energy is felt throughout the culture.

Cons

Hard to find significant complaints at this point. Like any fast-moving company operating across manufacturing, e-commerce, and wellness, things can occasionally feel like a lot of plates spinning at once, but that's more the nature of the industry than a management failure.

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Golden Hippo Response
1mo
Thank you for the thoughtful review and kind words! We’re so glad to hear that the people, flexibility, and sense of purpose have made such a positive impact on your experience at Golden Hippo. Building a collaborative, people-first culture is incredibly important to us, and we appreciate your recognition of the work being done across the company. Thanks as well for the valuable feedback on communication as we continue to grow!
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