Toxic leadership - AML Investigator Wise Employee Review

1.0
5 June 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Office perks, sabbatical, years ago a good place to start

Cons

Everything else, but with a special mention to very poor leadership, not only in AML but accross all teams. I have hardly seen any lead being demoted or fired in spite of their very poor results in company surveys - even the opposite, I saw some being promoted in spite of their complete lack of knowledge or lead skills, If you search for toxic leadership behavior online, you will find all the points that I have seen around: micromanaging, absolute lack of knowledge in the compliance field, taking advantage of others' ideas for self-promotion, lack of reward or recognition to agents, sometimes even blaming them.. damn, I was even told first hand how a senior Fraud lead made an agent cry until the agent left - the company also has a mental health support, which is the most useless as agents are being told that's not a place to complain... Most of the leads, mainly at senior level are unskilled oportunists, some even get somehow into PM positions for some reason and they also firmly defend themselves, so there does not seem to have any way to push them away from decision-making positions even if they are very far from knowing what "leading" means. From what I have seen so far, if you are an agent with more than 1/2 years of experience, there is a big chance that you are trying to get out and not be treated as a number.

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Wise Response
1y
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We have a strong infrastructure in place to drive a culture of high performance at Wise, to support a fair and equitable performance management process for all Wisers, including Leads. We also want every Wiser to bring their best selves to work, and we’re deeply committed to supporting employee wellbeing. To ensure Wisers have the resources they need, we offer a range of support options, including a 24/7 employee assistance program, mental wellbeing champions across all regions, people advisors who can provide dedicated support. You've voiced a number of concerns which we would encourage you to speak confidentially with your local People Advisor about as they are best placed to provide dedicated support on this topic and address the issues you have raised.

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5.0
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flexible review pay lots of feedback

Cons

repetitive long hours can be frustrating no sponsorship for visa

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Wise Response
2mo
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We’re pleased to hear that you appreciate the flexibility, benefits and culture. We hope you continue enjoying your experience at Wise.
3.0
25 Feb 2026
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Pros

Mission-Driven Work: Wise’s mission of "money without borders" aligned perfectly with my personal values. I was genuinely excited to go to work every day, tackle challenges, and track our progress toward that goal. Exceptional Peer Group: The hiring bar is high; you’ll work with smart, diverse, and genuinely interesting people from all backgrounds. Cutting-Edge Product: Working on the Wise Platform is a great technical experience. As an Implementation Manager, you get excellent visibility and access to the Product and Engineering teams. Top-Tier Documentation: Internal enablement and documentation are highly organized, making it easy to self-serve and find answers quickly.

Cons

Lack of Transparency in Management: I received no negative feedback during my probation period, only to be placed on a PIP two weeks after it ended. The feedback loop is non-existent; instead of real-time coaching, minor oversights are "saved up" to justify disciplinary action. Poor Feedback Quality: The PIP I received felt AI-generated, filled with corporate jargon and lacking substantive examples of performance failure. It felt like a formality rather than a genuine attempt at development. Toxic Management Culture: There is a palpable sense of micromanagement and "back-stabbing" within certain leadership circles. The environment shifted from collaborative to manipulative, with a noticeable lack of directness and honesty. Growth Hurdles: The Sales team appears to be struggling to close deals, which impacts the overall momentum of the department.

8
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Wise Response
2mo
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. You raised a number of concerns and I hope you were able to discuss these before you left. If you’d be comfortable to share more details, we’d really appreciate it. Please drop us an email at employerbrand@wise.com.
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