Recognise and understand your faults and you may just make it - Analyst HOSTMAKER Employee Review

1.0
Aug 14, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The company has a great market share, although other similar companies are growing faster and larger, they will undoubtedly run into the same issues Hostmaker faced in Q4 of 2018. Whether famous or infamous in London, people know about the company and more often than not you can provide the service you promise. The culture when I joined in early summer 2018 was great and optimistic, this has drastically changed but it felt like a true start up with a lot more benefits.

Cons

The bulk of this review is inevitably the cons. Starting from the top down, the 'CEO' whilst mostly correct and steering the company in the right direction 2/3 years ago is now completely out of his depth. The size and scope of the business just does not fit into the frequent and now often incorrect whims of the CEO. A team of 50-100 long serving employees is much more able to pivot and change business direction at the speed wanted than a team of 200-250 as it is now. The level of micromanagement from the 'Big 3' managers is unsustainable and is holding back the business. This trickles down to the middle management, who are more likely to be in their position due to nepotism and favoritism than any kind of meritocracy or actual ability. They learn their trade on the job and learn from the top, their management style reflects the CEO/Co-Founder and unless you have fallen in line with these values and resign yourself to the system in place, you have no chance to build a career. The lower tier employees are restricted and silenced whilst the blame almost inevitably runs down to this level, a mistake is made at a very basic level and no responsibility falls on the manager, their manager, the business itself or the training provided. With the sheer level of turnover at this level it is shocking how little blame falls higher up the chain for this ridiculous churn. If you do not align yourself fully with the values, buzzwords, toeing the legal grey area, blame culture then you are seen as toxic and expendable and told to 'Leave as we don't need you here'. Following mass Firing/Redundancy in Feb 2019, the moral has dropped to a record low in this level of the business. The CEO informed two entire departments that they were surplus to requirements in a company wide meeting and this has not been forgotten. Any attempts from the top to raise moral, whitewash this period or lift spirits is taken in the most cynical way from those who survived. Whilst they do recognise this lack of moral and confidence, the CEO/Co-Founder have done very little meaningful work to rectify or apologise for this, either to those still here or those who have left.

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HOSTMAKER Response
6y
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Our leadership team had to make some long-term business decisions which we’re aware have had negative implications in the short-term. However, we are actively working with our leaders across all departments to address any remaining concerns with the changes that took effect, as well as supporting any employees with remaining concerns. We are always open to feedback and ways to improve as we grow so please share your thoughts on ways that we could help foster a productive work environment at feedback@hostmaker.co

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1.0
Feb 11, 2020
Anonymous employee
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CEO approval
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Pros

Tea and coffee supplies provided in the office.

Cons

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2.0
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CEO approval
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Pros

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Cons

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