Great International Company, Disappointing Local Leadership
Gut am Arbeitgeber finde ich
The greater company is excellent and I wholeheartedly recommend working for Butternut in markets other than Germany
-Excellent onboarding process with strong cross-market integration
-Supportive direct management
-Amazing colleagues and team spirit
-Meaningful product and service I could stand behind, which was not driven by greed
-Fun social events and emphasis on employee retention
-The founders’ emphasis on treating every employee across the company as a part of a whole (not just those working in the office, but production, fulfillment etc.)
Schlecht am Arbeitgeber finde ich
There are no negative factors I feel apply to the greater company, only the German leadership:
-Micromanagement and pressure from German leadership
-Culture of control and emphasis on perception over trust
-Lack of empathy in certain decisions and communication (e.g. benefits during garden leave, openly ending employment of someone who was on burnout leave)
Verbesserungsvorschläge
The company would benefit from ensuring more consistent leadership standards across all offices. In particular, fostering a culture of trust, psychological safety, and respect for individual working styles would significantly improve employee well-being. Leadership training and accountability, could help align management practices with the otherwise positive company culture.
During my time at Butternut I did not share my full opinion and experience out of fear of losing my job, which I loved and am grateful for the experience of.
Arbeitsatmosphäre
The general atmosphere across the company was positive, welcoming, collaborative and fun! Especially during onboarding, there was a strong emphasis on helping new employees feel integrated across different markets. I felt included and valued early on and through most of my time at Butternut I really enjoyed working there. This changed drastically towards the end of last year in the German office, where I felt like there was tension in the air and we no longer allowed ourselves to speak freely.
Image
The greater company rightfully has a great image. They love animals and genuinely strive to do what’s best for them! I felt very very proud to work at Butternut and still recommend their product and amazing customer service!
Work-Life-Balance
This was an area where my experience became challenging. I felt like there was an expectation, from German leadership, to go beyond regular working hours. Comments about discipline and visibility created pressure and made it difficult to maintain healthy boundaries. This seemed unlike the more balanced B-corp mentality of our other offices.
Umwelt-/Sozialbewusstsein
The greater company is socially responsible and the most ethically run company I feel I have worked for. However, the decision to end my employment the day I returned from a sick leave (from burnout brought on by bereavements and pressure from work) felt very unexpected based on the wider company approach. I feel like this decision will unfortunately send the current employees the message that taking sick leave might end with them losing their job.
Additionally, cutting employee benefits during garden leave felt unnecessarily harsh and lacking empathy.
Karriere/Weiterbildung
There were clear opportunities for growth, and I felt supported in developing my career path.
Kollegenzusammenhalt
The colleagues (including my direct manager, who was not in the German office) were exceptional! I genuinely liked and respected every single person I met and will genuinely miss working with them. There was a strong sense of camaraderie, and people supported each other professionally and personally. Recruitment was meticulous and I especially liked the emphasis on everyone being an animal lover and the continuous dog puns and pictures. The company events were amazing with no expenses spared and were something you could look forward to all year!
I really loved how important it was to get to know the entire process in the company and getting to visit the factory and fulfillment center and learning everything about the product and how the company works as a whole. I felt part of a greater team and a greater goal, in a way I had never experienced before.
However, the daily spirit was dampened by the tension in the German office.
Vorgesetztenverhalten
My direct manager was highly supportive, approachable, and created an environment where I felt safe and encouraged to grow. Unfortunately, this was overshadowed by the behavior of the German management, whose style I experienced as micromanaging and overly focused on control and perception.
Public criticism of minor behaviors and lack of understanding for individual differences created an atmosphere of insecurity.
On the international level however, the founders and C-level are smart and inspiring.
Arbeitsbedingungen
The overall working environment was fairly professional and well-structured. The German office is a room in a coworking space, so suits those who are able to deliver in a tight open plan space with little privacy.
Kommunikation
Communication on an international level was open and constructive. Cross-market collaboration and having a sense of being part of something bigger felt inspiring and motivating.
However, within the German office, gradually the communication felt more one-sided and driven by control rather than trust.
Gehalt/Benefits
I can only speak for myself, but compensation was fair from my perspective.
Interessante Aufgaben
The work itself was engaging and meaningful. I felt super proud of the product and service the company provides, and I enjoyed contributing to its success.