Governed by lack of transparency, lack of job growth, and big-office politics - Anonymous employee Upstart Employee Review

--Management often talks about transparency being a two-way street between themselves and the employees, but that was never the case. Decisions are often made behind the scenes (about everything from new initiatives, new responsibilities, product changes, hiring changes, etc), then communicated last minute to the team without any discussion. The team is then expected to accept all these changes and blindly implement. While this style is not uncommon, Upstart makes it a point to emphasize their "fully transparent" nature, when they really shouldn't. --No upside or job mobility unless you suck up. Management tells you to "take ownership" of everything, but unless you suck up to them, they won't let you work on meaningful or impactful projects. This naturally causes a misalignment of skills to responsibilities, as people who aren't qualified to work on a project will be put on it because of nepotism. If you aren't liked, you won't get any new opportunities. Conclusion: Upstart is a startup smeared by big office politics, big egos and nepotism. Many join the company wanting to make a difference, but critical thinking and the courage to question certain decisions are looked upon as big liabilities. My advice is that if you're motivated and want to succeed/get promoted, you're better off going to another startup or a big company. --no 401k or commuter benefits