The People Cared More Than Leadership Did - Anonymous employee Vertical Institute Employee Review

1.0
15 June 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The training and courses offered can be genuinely valuable, particularly for individuals who are eager to learn and develop new skills. There are also some truly good people within the company—people who care deeply about the mission, care about their colleagues, and work incredibly hard despite the challenges around them. Unfortunately, many of the positive aspects are undermined by deeper organizational and leadership issues. Good training cannot compensate for poor employee experience. Good colleagues cannot compensate for inconsistent leadership. Over time, it becomes increasingly difficult to appreciate the positives when they exist alongside a culture of uncertainty, favoritism, and reactive decision-making. One of the saddest parts of my experience was watching capable, dedicated, and loyal people become discouraged. Many joined because they believed in the vision and genuinely wanted the company to succeed. Instead of being empowered and retained, some left feeling disappointed, unheard, and emotionally exhausted.

Cons

I would strongly encourage prospective employees to conduct thorough research and speak to multiple current and former employees before joining. The company presents itself as mission-driven and employee-focused, but my experience was very different from the image that is projected externally. One of the biggest concerns was leadership and organizational structure. While the CEO remains the face of the company, a significant amount of operational influence appeared to rest elsewhere. This created confusion around decision-making, accountability, and consistency. Employees were often left uncertain about who was ultimately responsible for major decisions affecting day-to-day operations. The HR function held substantial influence over both people management and operational matters. Unfortunately, the employee experience often felt highly dependent on personal relationships and individual preferences rather than clear, consistent processes. Interactions could vary dramatically depending on circumstances, creating the perception of favoritism and inconsistent treatment across teams. There was a noticeable difference in how certain departments appeared to be treated. Some teams seemed to receive significantly more support, attention, and influence than others. Whether intentional or not, this created a perception of unequal treatment and contributed to frustration among employees outside of those favored groups. Another recurring issue was the tendency for policies and expectations to change rapidly, sometimes in response to short-term business performance. Employees could find themselves adapting to new rules, targets, or processes with little warning or explanation. This created an environment where stability was difficult to achieve and where employees were constantly trying to keep up with shifting expectations. Job security was another significant concern. The handling of departures often created uncertainty among remaining employees. People were expected to be deeply committed to the company's mission, yet many employees struggled to feel the same level of commitment being extended back to them. This disconnect had a noticeable impact on morale. Communication was frequently reactive rather than proactive. Instead of providing clarity and long-term direction, leadership often appeared to respond to immediate issues as they arose. This contributed to an atmosphere of uncertainty and made it difficult for employees to confidently plan their careers within the organization. What makes these issues particularly disappointing is that there are genuinely hardworking and talented people within the company. Many employees care deeply about their work and want the organization to succeed. Unfortunately, good people can only compensate for structural and leadership issues for so long. One final concern relates to online reputation management. As a job seeker, I would encourage prospective employees to read reviews carefully and look for patterns across multiple sources. In my experience, the public image presented online did not fully reflect the reality experienced by many employees internally. I left with the impression that the company values loyalty and commitment from employees, but has not yet built the systems, leadership practices, transparency, or consistency required to earn that loyalty in return. For anyone considering joining, proceed with caution and ask detailed questions about employee retention, leadership structure, decision-making processes, communication practices, and how performance concerns are actually handled in practice. A company's culture is not defined by what it says about itself. It is defined by how people are treated when things are difficult. Unfortunately, that was where the biggest gaps became visible.

Explore other reviews about Vertical Institute

5.0
26 May 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Hard to know where to start honestly. The office itself is stunning - floor to ceiling glass panels, really high ceilings. The only kind of space that makes me actually not mind staying late to work and chill. Not your typical cramped office setup at all,feels more like a premium tech company. Beyond the office aesthetics, company also has a strong mission. AI upskilling is not just a buzzword at this company - you can see it in every course they build and every client they bring on. The CEO is sharp, visionary and understands the AI and education industry inside out. The exposure you get here is also quite exceptional. Because the company works with a huge range of corporate clients across different sectors - finance, logistics, healthcare, gov & more - you end up building a network that would take years to develop elsewhere. Every week felt like you were learning something new about a different industry which kept things fresh and intellectually stimulating. Colleagues are ambitious but not cutthroat, good energy overall.

Cons

Pace is very fast and the bar is set high so if you need a very hand-holdy environment this might not suit you. Onboarding could be abit more structured for new joiners but to be fair the team is always willing to help if you ask. Growing company so some processes are still being refined,but thats also just part of being in a high-growth environment.

5.0
22 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I spent almost 4 years at Vertical Institute and I could testify how they embrace every employees in the company. We always have a change to learn as long we own the campaigns we have set. The management support is also enormous which is a huge support to meet the OKRs each quarter. I have also witness some of the big hits in my campaigns but the senior management is always there and step up to assist my team, ask what need to recover and that actions helped me realize how company value us.

Cons

Fast pacing and you are really responsible for your campaigns. You will be able to wear different hats as well but I take that as an opportunity for me to grow my career more.

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