Overall, a toxic and manipulative workplace. Avoid. - Anonymous employee Shellworks Employee Review

1.0
28 Aug 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The sustainability startup space attracts some kind, thoughtful, and hard working people. While portions of the team are incredibly problematic, the rest of the team is a joy to work with and they make the days bearable.

Cons

The leadership team have little to no direction and are constantly pivoting the business strategy. This is possibly because the founders have no ability to be impartial about each other’s performance and decision-making. They’re currently undercutting themselves to sell product and its unlikely they’ll be able to bring their costs down to match. They label the company as an innovator in the materials space but effectively they are a glorified distributor. They source materials from external manufacturers, slap a trendy design on it, and farm it back out to small scale UK manufacturers. The work is only difficult because they run every project with an unrealistic timeline. Like most startups, burnout is a huge problem. People are seen as a means to an end and are used as such, with no regard to what it does on a personal level. Any attempt to have work life balance, or to improve process to reduce workload is seen as weakness. They’ll try to scare it out of you with bad performance reviews that have no concrete fixable outcomes besides “work more hours”. In the last 10 months the attrition rate has been 75%. Sexism and misogyny are rife. They burn though female employees at an astonishing rate. The only members considered to be part of the core team are men. Every one of those men were reported for sexual harassment a year ago, by multiple women. Promises were made in private to let go at least one of them. Instead, less than two months later, all three were given stellar reviews and have since been promoted. Two have been allowed to manage teams.

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Shellworks Response
1y
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. First and foremost, we want to express our sincere regret that your experience with Shellworks was a negative one. Regardless of the circumstances, we are truly sorry that you did not enjoy your time with us. This is not the experience we aim to provide for any of our team members, and we take your feedback seriously. We appreciate your acknowledging that there are kind, thoughtful, and hardworking people on our team. Nurturing a brilliant and ambitious team within a collaborative, kind environment is one of our key priorities. We are deeply concerned by the issues you've raised, as they do not align with the values we strive to uphold or the workplace we aim to create. Please know we are committed to listening to your feedback, reflecting upon it, and taking action to improve our employee experience. Regarding some of the specific points you've mentioned: 1. Business Strategy: As a startup in the sustainability space, we sometimes need to pivot our strategy to adapt to market demands and opportunities. We acknowledge that this can be challenging and are working to improve our communication around these changes to provide more clarity and direction to our team. 2. Work Life Balance: We do not condone a culture of overwork. We're actively reviewing our processes to ensure they support a healthy work-life balance for all team members. 3. Workplace Conduct: We have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment or discrimination. While we can't discuss internal reviews publicly, we take all reports of misconduct seriously and investigate them thoroughly. If you're willing, I'd welcome the opportunity to have a conversation with us directly or our People Lead at danielle@thepeoplevault.co.uk. A conversation would allow us to better understand the specific instances that led to these concerns and help us take appropriate action to address them effectively. Once again, we are truly sorry that your experience with us was so unsatisfactory. We are committed to creating a workplace where all team members feel valued, respected, and supported. Thank you again for your candid feedback. We wish you all the best. Insiya & Amir

Explore other reviews about Shellworks

5.0
28 May 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The mission is integral to working at Shellworks. Their values are present in decisions made at every level throughout the business, from accepting investment and sourcing materials, all the way to office management practices and bathroom supplies! Sustainability is at the core of what we do. Delicious catered lunch is provided everyday from restaurants around London! Eating lunch together every day on a long family-style table means that you get a real chance to get to know to everyone on the team. I think it's a key contributor to the close working relationship that we all have. The team is full of diverse but like-minded individuals who keep the office light-hearted and fun, but also are incredibly driven and passionate. Working from home is allowed, however, the bulk of the team comes in 4/5 days a week as the office is a collaborative & dynamic workspace. The workplace is fast moving and demanding, but it keeps the role interesting. I have had the opportunity to work on a lot of different projects and new ones arise every quarter. You are pushed as an individual, and within a short period you can quickly become a project lead, gaining valuable experience.

Cons

The interview process is long and difficult, however the resulting team demonstrates that the hiring process works effectively. I would say Shellworks is not a fit for someone who just wants to do their hours and go home, you are expected to muck in when required, which can result in long days!

5.0
27 Aug 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

A young team where everyone is on board with the same mission and dedication to the space. People are very easy to get along with. Best office perk is the free lunches, which are often very nutritious and healthy, and the team always eats lunches together which is great for bonding. Managers are fair, and give good feedback where it counts. Company has a strong growth trajectory and good vision for the future.

Cons

Occasionally lacks the proper infrastructure to promote work efficiency. Could also incorporate better learning opportunities. A lot of the times we're needing to DIY things or sprint to get it done, as is such in a startup. If you're not passionate about the mission, it might not be a great fit, as you really need to give it your all during tough times.

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