The Motley Fool Reviews

Pros

Leadership at the company is very open to chatting with new employees. The company works to value the employees just as much as members.

Cons

If you don’t like business being directly impacted by the market, you might now like it. I honestly don’t think that’s a big deal because as we are learning so many companies are greatly impacted by the economic condition.

Pros

This is an employer that has given me everything I was missing in previous jobs. Yes the salary is good and the job perks are there, but what’s really special here is the autonomy you’re given not only in your role but in your career progression, and you’re surrounded by fellow ‘Fools’ who have a positive, supportive and collaborative attitude - not to mention a very smart bunch. We work for a great cause, making the world Smarter, Happier and Richer. We have leaders who genuinely have our best interests at heart, and by doing so they’re people who you want to work for - you want to prove them right to run the business with such an unwavering moral compass.

Cons

There’s two ‘cons’, but they’re more like symptoms of the pros: - It is hard to get a role here... vacancies are limited because no one seems to leave! Thankfully we’re growing and this opens new roles. If you get the chance to work here I suggest you grab it with both hands. - If you want a structured career plan this isn’t the place for you. There’s is no career progression plan, the company requires you to look around the business and communicate upwards a desire to move into new areas, or even spot opportunities that the business can move into that we don’t even have yet. This doesn’t suit everyone.

Pros

Benefits are good, that's it.

Cons

Working at The Motley Fool has been an eye-opening experience, revealing a toxic work environment hidden beneath a facade of friendliness. The leadership's gaslighting, false narratives, and relentless micromanagement have created a detrimental atmosphere that hinders professional growth and well-being. Behind The Motley Fool's seemingly positive image lies a leadership team that excels at pretending to be nice while engaging in manipulative behavior. Gaslighting is rampant within the organization. Everyone has to pretend everything is great amazing to keep the facade going. The Motley Fool's toxic environment extends beyond false narratives and gaslighting. The leadership's obsession with micromanagement hampers productivity and employee morale. Instead of fostering collaboration and open communication, the company thrives on an atmosphere of control and constant scrutiny. Attempts to voice concerns or offer constructive feedback are met with defensiveness, dismissal, or even retaliation. The lack of accountability and empathy from the leadership further exacerbates the toxic work culture, leaving employees feeling trapped and undervalued. Choose an organization that respects and empowers its workforce, as your happiness and career prospects should not be sacrificed for the sake of a toxic workplace.

Pros

The benefits are pretty solid still and attempt to make up for the substandard base comp.

Cons

Pretty much everything but the benefits. What used to be a culture of kindness, compassion, and at least attempted inclusivity, has turned into an Elon Musk-eque style totalitarian regime. Internal employees are ignored in favor of external "experts" and there's dysfunction at every turn. Our latest engagement scores have plummeted to an all-time low. Management seems uninterested in repairing the lost trust. The only thing we do well is our podcast and now with our long-tenured host departing (presumably due to the chaos), it's only a matter of time before that slips too.

Pros

The company offers great benefits, good wages, solid work-life balance, and allows their employees to basically work from anywhere. TMF is currently on the precipice of some major innovation and has been encouraging all employees to learn new skills - whether their taught internally or externally. TMF has a motivating purpose and is the right company for anyone who loves investing and business. I love the people I work with!

Cons

Like most remote companies, communication can be challenging, but the company does a good job of using all channels to communicate important information. We rely a lot on messaging tools like Slack which can make conversations quick and easy, but without the necessary context at times. However, video conferencing like Zoom makes it easy to immediately clarify anything that may have been misunderstood. Additionally, TMF went from in-office to fully remote over these last 3 years so it seems like our culture is adjusting to the new workplace environment. TMF doesn't have linear career journeys; it's more like a jungle gym where the more you move to different areas of the business, the better your understanding of the business and better exposure for different opportunities. If you're motivated, curious, and open to new things, then TMF might be good for you, but if you're looking for the corporate track and a clear path, then TMF might not be for you. If you're just getting started, especially remotely, it's really important to make friends -- it can make or break your experience -- but most people are friendly and willing to help new employees figure out the ropes.

Pros

The Motley Fool presents a tantalizing front: they advertise themselves as a mission-driven, fun-loving workplace. New hires are typically enticed by the promises of a dynamic, progressive environment.

Cons

After a year of being with the company, one begins to see the stark differences between the glossy promises and grim reality. The main issues revolve around incompetent management, excessive favoritism, lack of career growth and direction, and stringent micromanagement. The turnover rate is high - many employees leave within their first 1-2 years, feeling disillusioned and unsatisfied. Those who do choose to stay tend to be "the favorites", who get raises even in the midst of budget cuts, take advantage of the company's five-month parental leave on top of the unlimited PTO, and keep their dissatisfaction quiet. Management positions seem to be filled from this pool of favorites. Unfortunately, these individuals lack the necessary leadership training and are incapable of leading a team or inspiring their subordinates. It's a commonly held belief that people leave bosses, not companies. In the case of The Motley Fool, it holds true. The culture of the company is rife with conflicts and issues. Even though the company encourages open communication, raising your voice against the prevailing issues appears to be career suicide. Retaliation and gaslighting are all too common here. If you dare to raise concerns against "the favorites", you may find yourself denied a raise, promotion, or even worse, faced with termination. While the Motley Fool has potential to be a great workplace, it is currently a long way from living up to its promises. Unless drastic changes are made, the company is bound to lose valuable talent and foster a toxic work environment.

Pros

They give employees some semi decent flexibility.

Cons

Where to begin? It's been so scary lately to be an employee at this company. Middle managers are using mind-bogglingly weird and aggressive methods to keep everyone silent. But there are so many problems that need to be talked about.

Pros

Great team culture Fun, exciting, innovative spirit Fantastic benefits Great management communications If you are on the fence about joinging this company then I strongly recommend joining The Motley Fool

Cons

Non come to mind to share.

Pros

Definitely cares about employees and customers.

Cons

A lot of chaos, going in 20 different directions at once and often ending up in the same place.

Pros

Work life balance is typically higher than similar roles at other companies. Opportunities to learn and take on new challenges are plentiful, with a relatively low risk for mistakes.

Cons

Compensation is low and a new role doesn't coincide with an increase in pay. (Management defends this by saying that benefits are "exceptional," but the benefits offered aren't exceptional compared to other financial roles.) There is a general lack of accountability starting from the top of the business. As other reviewers have mentioned, there is a lot of preaching of how TMF culture is "better" and this drives a resistance to acknowledge that shortcomings exist (often met with some variation of "If you think this is bad, you should try working elsewhere."). This can be frustrating, particularly if you are a member of an underrepresented group.