Pros
They really do hire some of the most kind and compassionate people around - kudos to the talent team! Onboarding at InStride feels like a warm hug, and getting to know other folks in the organization through 1:1s made a fully remote workplace feel close-knit.
Cons
Top level leadership can come across as reactive and lacking clear focus or cohesive goals at times. Some feedback from care team members is taken very seriously and other feedback seems to be dismissed entirely. The founders have a lot of expertise in their respective areas but not necessarily in running a business, so shifts in strategy or direction happen quickly, without warning, and often without clearly stated logic. This leads to a feeling of whiplash for employees when policies, expectations, projects, or roles change frequently without much notice. It can feel like they're throwing 50 solutions at a problem at a time to see what works, rather than taking a measured and comprehensive approach to problem-solving. Some of this is par for the course in start-up culture, and is to be expected (so it may be a pro for some people who like that environment!). Ultimately, on the employee end, the trickle-down effect is that it can end up feeling like promises are made and not kept, which can be frustrating.