Pros
Humi was once one of the best companies to work for in Canada. Unfortunately, very little remains of what made it great. About three years ago, when two of the original founders departed and Kevin Kliman stepped in as CEO, the company began to thrive. Leadership improved, planning became more thoughtful, we had time to address technical debt, and we built genuinely impactful products. That momentum continued—until Humi was acquired by Employment Hero.
Cons
The acquisition by Employment Hero (EH), an Australian company, has rapidly dismantled everything that made Humi successful. While initial statements claimed alignment in values and a strong desire to retain talent, it quickly became evident that EH had no real commitment to either. Their actions consistently reflect a lack of care for Humi’s people, product, or legacy. Cultural and Organizational Breakdown - The Australian team has made minimal effort to understand or integrate with the Humi team. - Key perks were removed before the deal even closed—such as half-day Fridays and company-wide holiday breaks. - Mandatory holiday blocks and travel were imposed without regard for individual or team needs. - Communication has become top-down, and employee concerns are frequently dismissed or ignored. Career Regression, Not Growth - Numerous employees were demoted without consultation, compensation adjustments, or clear rationale: -- Staff Engineers were retitled as Software Engineers. -- Directors became Engineering Managers. -- PMs were reassigned as Product Owners. --VPs were rebranded as Group Managers. - These changes were framed as part of a “flat org,” but they came at significant personal and professional cost—with no alternative growth paths offered. - One of the most telling signs of decline: our CTO, who played a pivotal role in Humi’s growth, departed earlier this year after EH failed to provide him a meaningful role. Since the acquisition, at least 15 team members have left—many from product, engineering, and marketing. Morale is critically low. Compensation and Benefits: EH leadership has openly criticized Canadian compensation levels, stating that we are “overpaid.” Benefits have been reduced or removed. Several people have been promoted or demoted with no alignment to compensation frameworks or pay bands, leaving senior staff stuck in limbo. When compensation concerns are raised, management routinely defers discussion—currently pushing everything to “August.” Culture and Values: Humi’s original values are no longer present. EH claims to value diversity and maintain an “apolitical” culture, but in practice: - The CEO is outspoken on social media, often sharing controversial or politically charged opinions. - Women’s Day was canceled because it was deemed “controversial.” - Diverse perspectives, especially those challenging the EH narrative, are unwelcome. EH leadership often conflates “culture” with conformity. If your views or style don’t align with theirs, you’re sidelined. The culture feels more like a cult of personality than a values-driven organization. Leadership and Management: EH is run like an insular old boys' club. Most of the senior leadership has been with EH for years, with limited experience outside of the company—and it shows. In Canada, several highly capable executives and leaders have either resigned or been let go, some under legally questionable circumstances. Legal disputes are already underway. The few remaining leaders in Canada are operating with minimal autonomy, watching their teams collapse around them. To date, more than 10% of the company has resigned within the first three months post-acquisition—and the attrition continues to rise. This includes people with deep industry knowledge and domain expertise. For example, within a single week, both our CTO and our only Cyber Security Engineer in Canada exited. There is currently no one in Canada overseeing security. Work-Life Balance: Virtually non-existent. The 14-hour time difference between Toronto and Sydney is poorly managed. Employees are frequently expected to attend meetings as late as 9:00 PM. EH has made no serious attempt to accommodate North American time zones. Despite promises of increased resources post-acquisition, Humi’s teams are now expected to maintain legacy products and launch new ones—without additional staffing or backfills for those who’ve left; some of the roles we have lost will take months to onboard and make productive, not even account for the fact that we are nor priortizing those hires. The resulting loss of institutional knowledge and momentum is staggering.
