employer cover photo
employer logo
employer logo

Shift Active Media

Is this your company?

Sink or swim - Anonymous employee Shift Active Media Employee Review

1.0
Dec 2, 2023
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

A team of passionate cyclists working on world-class brands.

Cons

- Total lack of progression, managers have no interest in progressing their team. - Management openly says the agency has a ‘sink or swim’ culture, reflecting the lack of interest and structure in training, development and support. - Employee morale is the worst of any business I’ve worked in, the office isn’t a nice environment. - With working from home, some managers prefer their teams to be in every day whereas some have a flexible, hybrid structure. - People aren’t celebrated, when employees reach major milestones, being there for many years, it's never recognised. - Working overtime is never recognised or appreciated, and salaries are low compared to industry standards. - No feedback from managers aside from in annual PDPs. - Finger-pointing blame culture, when something goes wrong, some senior team members point fingers to cover themselves rather than looking at the process that allowed it to happen. - 4-week statutory maternity leave, while running a program supposedly supporting women in the cycling industry. - No employee benefits aside from industry discounts. - I learnt a lot from my time at SHIFT, mostly on how to not manage a team, or run a business. - The sad thing is, the action following this review will be the leadership team trying to work out who it was rather than taking it on board and implementing changes.

Explore other reviews about Shift Active Media

1.0
Feb 9, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The only real positive was some of the people I had the chance to work alongside. There are genuinely talented and supportive individuals within the team, although many of them have since left.

Cons

-Long hours were regularly expected, with little recognition or time given back -Work–life balance was difficult to maintain -Career progression and development opportunities weren’t clearly defined -High staff turnover created instability across teams -Internal systems and processes often felt disorganised or inconsistent -Pressure to deliver strong results without always having the time or resources needed -Employee wellbeing and mental health isn't a priority, despite what they say. -Benefits are very limited and cliquey -The overall culture often felt like “sink or swim,” rather than supportive or developmental -A tickbox culture.

2
5.0
Aug 15, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I really enjoyed my 3 months working with Shift, the culture is warm, welcoming and supportive and the opportunity to work with some of the most exciting brands in the cycling and outdoors world was a real privilege. I learned a lot and loved every minute!

Cons

Maybe a better coffee machine? Other than that - no complaints!

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All