TL;DR: In June 2024, the company abruptly dismissed its entire marketing department, a decision reflective of the CEO’s erratic behavior and chaotic communication. Over the past two years, the CEO has dismantled departments, reshuffled management, and terminated employees based on personal rather than professional reasons, fostering a toxic work culture. This behavior has severely impacted team morale and employee well-being. Additionally, the CEO’s sexist and racist actions, such as promoting a toxic masculine environment, making derogatory remarks about Asian individuals, and unfairly judging female employees’ health, have created a discriminatory and hostile workplace.
The full story:
In June 2024, the company made the sudden decision to dismiss its entire marketing department, which was part of a broader pattern of impulsive decisions by the CEO over the past two years. While firing employees for economic or performance reasons can be justified, at JOIN, these decisions were both abrupt and chaotically communicated. The CEO justified firing the entire marketing department by stating that he no longer "believed" in the value of marketing.
Over the past two years, the CEO has systematically dismantled various departments, frequently reshuffled management, and removed individuals based on personal preferences rather than professional merit. This began with the marketing team in January 2023, when two team leads and half the department were let go, leaving the remaining members under a newly hired head of marketing.
The CEO's erratic behavior continued with the abrupt termination of high-performing employees in 2023 and 2024, including some who had relocated internationally and faced the risk of losing work visas. Decisions often appeared arbitrary and driven by personal motives. Earlier this year, two employees were dismissed after discussing a post in which the CEO criticized Germany during labor strikes. Their comments, which highlighted worker unions and critiqued the CEO’s perspective, led to severe retribution.
The CEO’s leadership style has been characterized by impulsiveness, authoritarian behavior, and frequent outbursts. He often bypassed seasoned professionals in favor of placing inexperienced individuals in management roles, leading to further instability and frustration within the company.
The day of the marketing team’s dismissal was particularly surreal, as what was supposed to be a lunch meeting turned into a one-hour monologue by the CEO. This monologue was filled with economic pessimism and unprofessional gossip about other team members and managers. Ultimately, the CEO declared that disbanding the entire marketing department made the most sense to him. The next day, the CEO communicated parting ways with more team members from other departments.
This series of events highlights significant issues within the company’s leadership, communication, and overall culture. The toxic company culture and the ceaseless layoffs have had a detrimental impact on team morale and the mental health of employees. The constant turnover created a precarious environment for many.
The toxic work culture at the company is further exacerbated by the CEO's sexist and racist behavior, which has manifested in several disturbing ways. A toxic masculine environment is encouraged, with male employees often challenged to do push-ups when encountering the CEO in the kitchen—a ritual that excludes female employees. Additionally, the CEO has made racist remarks about the skin color of Asian individuals, contributing to an unwelcoming and discriminatory atmosphere. Female employees have been targeted behind their backs, with the CEO making derogatory comments about their "unhealthy lifestyles" and unfairly judging their health based on their bodies. The CEO also scrutinizes and criticizes employees' eating habits, creating a hostile and judgmental work environment that undermines employee well-being and fosters division within the company.
The company's toxic culture is further compounded by a leadership team composed mostly of white cisgender men who uncritically follow the CEO's every decision. These leaders are not only inexperienced in business but also lack the necessary skills to effectively lead and guide their teams, making them ill-prepared for future challenges such as securing additional investment rounds.
This inadequacy in leadership trickles down to the broader workplace environment, where a "suck up, kick down" culture has taken root, particularly among younger German and Swiss employees who joined the company straight out of university. These individuals publicly call out their colleagues for mistakes, yet privately reach out when they need something, creating an environment of hypocrisy and undermining trust within the team.
