employer cover photo
employer logo
employer logo

EF (Education First)

Engaged employer

Toxic working culture - Anonymous employee EF (Education First) Employee Review

1.0
11 Feb 2021
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- International atmosphere - Travel encouraged

Cons

-I really wish I could give them zero stars; please read before you apply to get an honest picture of what to expect - No work/life balance since you need to be available 24/7 (travel means you get up at 3 am and get to bed well after midnight) - Absolute toxic work culture with every Swedish employee being promoted to become a manager with absolute 0 experience; when talking to senior management about this they fully admitted it but since it's a Swedish company they want to promote their kin - often complained to HR about this (so please don't say contact HR, and we will investigate because you had YEARS to do it and didn't bother) - people keep getting fired in the most unkind ways (one colleague was severely ill with corona and got fired one day later via email; not even in person) - during corona absolutely no measurements taken to keep the employees safe because ultimately only profit matters (made them come in by downplaying the pandemic since Sweden stayed open and it "went so well" they encouraged people to come to the office too; they only recommended staying home once the government enforced it) - salary well below market average (except of course if you are Swedish), especially people from countries known for offering lower salaries (like Southern Europe or Eastern Europe) will be offered very, very low wages

Explore other reviews about EF (Education First)

5.0
20 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Fun place to work at. Lots of opportunities especially early on in a career.

Cons

Sometimes salary is not as competitive as other places in Boston area.

avatar
EF (Education First) Response
1mo
Well this is what it's all about! Early career opportunities while having fun along the way is a big part of what we hope people experience working at EF, and we are happy to hear this in your reflection. Thank you for sharing your note on compensation as well. We review our compensation packages regularly to make sure they align with our industry standards, and we appreciate your perspective on that.
4.0
2 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You get to choose your tour and recruit the students you want to bring. The paid chaperone ratio is 6:1, so it is very manageable. The tours are great and the local experts are wonderful.

Cons

Company support is variable. There is high turnover and new consultants are very sales motivated and don't always get the nuances of your school or community group. I have had some WONDERFUL concusltants, but they have always been promoted before I get to work with them again.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All