Hello poor unsuspecting job hunter! With such a wealth of opportunity to create a review from, it's hard to know where to begin...
If you’re considering the move to Biotiful from a larger ‘corporate’ brand, with the (usually justified) notion that it will be a nicer, more friendly, more relaxed place to work...please think again. Jumping from the frying pan into the fire couldn’t be more apt here, apart from fire makes Biotiful seem far too pleasant...so let’s go with jumping from the fire into the raging pit of soul-melting workplace HELL.
At under a year of working for the company I was still one of it’s longest standing members. As the other reviews suggest, most people tire quickly from being spoken to like a total idiot by the founder, and either leave on their own accord because they realise it’s a horrible place, are to stressed to continue, or are simply asked to leave by the founder (am still not quite sure how that one works) - and always on bad terms.
Shall we look at what you may be told in the job interview... Small fun brand? Lunchtime running club? Regular staff outings? They may even throw in the odd whisper of flexible working hours to really dangle that juicy carrot. Wrong. Sorry chaps, its all lies told by the handpuppet team of senior management to lure unsuspecting victims into the Biotiful trap.
The reality: A horrifically non existent culture mixed with constant, anxiety inducing pressure that literally sucks the life out of people.
If that doesn't put you off, the lack of any normality in terms of working hours might (ignore the bit the contract that says 35hrs, you'll be looking at roughly 50) whereby your toilet breaks feel timed, and if you spend longer than 3.5 minutes making a cup tea in the shared office kitchen (the only communal space available) the Founder will scurry in and chase you back to your desk. The fact she is ex investment banker really shines through in the 'works / life' culture here, or rather the lack of it. 8am starts are the norm, as a culture has been created where it feels like a competition to get in the earliest. There is also a distinct lack of appraisal for hard work here, with most employees feeling over worked and undervalued, especially when the founder launches into one of her favourite high school bully routines, belittling someone on the spot in front of the entire office.....nice.
All attempts to 'brighten up' the office culture are also totally quashed by the founder (think radio turned off as soon as it's turned on) so to be honest, I think most of the remaining employees have given up, and turn their attention to creating individual escape plans, or on regrowing the hair they are no doubt loosing from working there.
And what benefits do you getting return? No gym, rubbish pension, not even a fruit bowl my friend. Just some free Kefir*....if you even know what that is.
*Apparently it's the most functional of all dairy products (you'll heard that a lot)...I'll let you decide if its worth it.