Review:
Before I joined Circadia, I read all the negative reviews on Glassdoor. When I brought up these concerns during the interview process, the company brushed it off, saying, “We did some layoffs with nurses, and they left bad reviews.” This was already a red flag, but I decided to give it a chance, thinking, "How bad could it be?" Unfortunately, I was wrong. It was a huge mistake.
Leadership Challenges:
The CEO's leadership style was overwhelmingly narcissistic, fostering a culture of micromanagement and control. This approach not only stifled initiative but also created an environment where employees were expected to work longer hours than leadership, leading to feelings of resentment and exclusion for those who couldn't meet these unrealistic expectations. As someone who reported directly to the CEO, it became clear that he was more focused on monitoring employees than fostering a productive, collaborative environment. The lack of autonomy and constant micromanagement created chaos, especially as the company geared up for Series B funding. This made it clear that the company was heading in the wrong direction, all due to the CEO's ego.
Team Dynamics:
Collaboration across departments was severely lacking. Interactions with engineering were especially challenging, as the engineering team frequently "ghosted" my inquiries, which made it difficult to manage hiring effectively. Even the Head of Special Projects would selectively choose when to respond. It became evident that the CEO’s influence permeated these teams, dictating their actions and further hindering effective communication and collaboration.
Struggles with Resources:
I was often hindered in performing my duties due to the company’s financial and operational mismanagement. Despite needing a reliable HR system to handle recruitment, Circadia chose not to make payments to vendors, which severely impacted my ability to manage processes efficiently and perform my job.
Hiring Practices and Lack of Autonomy:
As a recruiter, I was tasked with filling technical roles but had to report to the CEO as the primary hiring manager, which made no sense given his lack of technical expertise. The lack of autonomy and the CEO’s rigid control over hiring made it incredibly difficult to establish any meaningful process. When I challenged his approach or tried to implement best practices, I was met with resistance, as his "my way or the highway" mentality prevailed.
Cultural Environment:
The company culture resembled a cult-like atmosphere, where employees unquestioningly followed the CEO's directives, reminiscent of a master-servant dynamic. While a few professionals offered support, the prevailing environment was toxic and unpleasant, making daily interactions challenging.
Unrealistic Expectations of Hiring New Employees:
Attempts to introduce best practices in hiring were met with resistance. The CEO's rigid "my way or the highway" mentality ignored practical and realistic advice, leading to a narrow-minded approach to HR/Ops best practices and recruitment. This inflexibility, coupled with an overemphasis on candidates from prestigious colleges, severely limited the talent pool and contributed to the company's hiring struggles.
Final Thoughts:
What I learned is that if you report to the corporate office and roll up to the CEO, you will be micromanaged to the point where it becomes suffocating. They will even go as far as auditing your calendar if you don't add anything, then write you up. What's interesting is the engineering team weren't following this policy, so the CEO was selective on who had to make sure their calendars were filled out on a weekly basis. Please stay far away from this company.
*It's also important to note that there are two Glassdoor profiles—one for the London office and one for Los Angeles. The Los Angeles profile has higher reviews because current employees are writing them. Be sure to read the reviews for the London office as well to get a fuller picture. They have a total of 4 different offices with around 100 employees at the time of this writing.
In summary, my experience at Circadia was overwhelmingly negative, characterized by poor leadership, a toxic culture, lack of resources, and ineffective hiring practices. While there were 3 or 4 employees who were easy to work with and provided some support during my onboarding, I would not recommend this company to others seeking a healthy and collaborative work environment. If you work well being micromanaged and your role is to report to the CEO, then take your chance.
