Probably the worst place I've ever worked - Marketing Canva Employee Review

1.0
15 Nov 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Free Canva Membership after you quit

Cons

Where do I begin? A lot of reviews around "toxic positivity" are spot on, but I'll take it one further. This place gave me cult vibes. Nepotism runs rampant, and the only way you'll progress in your career is if you find yourself in the Executive Team's Inner Circle. Canva has a habit of hiring really smart people and then absolutely crushing their ability to help the company grow. Once you're on board, you're expected to do exactly what is asked of you- there is zero autonomy, everybody is fake nice, and you will drown in boring, cliche HR buzzwords. The most senior leaders of the company are inexperienced and only got there because they were either an early employee or directly worked for the Executive Team. They are crippled with impostor syndrome but still lead with an unearned sense of entitlement. If you want to work somewhere that preaches "we're a family!" you should work here. Especially if you love toxic families. But if you want to work somewhere that will treat you like an adult and give you room to be creative and drive impact, look elsewhere. This is especially true for non-ANZ based employees.

Explore other reviews about Canva

5.0
24 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

⁠The work culture is amazing and highly collaborative. There are plenty of opportunities to learn new technologies, and the perks/benefits are excellent.⁠The work culture is amazing and highly collaborative. There are plenty of opportunities to learn new technologies, and the perks/benefits are excellent.⁠

Cons

The company is growing very fast, so internal processes and structure change frequently. Work-life balance can be tricky during big product launches.⁠

3.0
28 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Product is beloved by users. Brand affinity is second to none which makes being a marketer a lot of fun. Genuinely good and caring coworkers who want to build something great. Hiring bar is high. Vibe and Thrive benefit is clever and unique.

Cons

Behind the brand is a cult like culture with the “founders” surrounded by yes people (whether they are aware of it or not). Mediocrity seems to be tolerated among management’s “old guard” causing tension and churn with newer and sometimes more experienced leaders. Insecure leaders at some of the highest levels perpetuate much of the toxic behaviors described in the reviews below such as gaslighting and favoritism. People “disappear” with little to no explanation, but hey, it’s the “Canva way”.

5
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