What is the company culture like at Belu?

Significant growth opportunities and ownership so you can really excel, leadership encourage growth and upskilling so feel like you are set for your next role. Purpose led business is a nice feeling coming to work and all the team really get behind it. Good collaborative work and team are super helpful and friendly which makes the culture really nice. Good pay and benefits.

Small team means sometimes workload can be a lot at times. Not much really.

I'll start by saying that working at Belu is currently a demoralising experience. When I joined I was under the impression it was a social enterprise that cares about the environment. It's more like a glorified water filter machine reseller at this point. I am sad to say the company has been losing its soul over the last couple of years and is now struggling to stay afloat in a crowded market. The problems start at the top with the two CEOs. One who does the bulk of the real work and another who acts as a talking head. The talking head CEO is obsessed with power, micromanages everything, and frequently undermines employees with passive-aggressive remarks like 'I assume you’ve done X' but it'll be the first time mentioning X as an attempt to make people feel uneasy and confused. She will create tests and plays ridiculous mind games with staff, especially new starters. This kind of behaviour trickles down and results in a toxic, fear based environment. The only positives I can give are that a few people are there for the right reasons, however they are always the quietest in the room, and the profits donated to WaterAid is going to a good cause. I have hesitated over whether to write this review, I doubt it will change anything within the company but at least I can warn others who might be thinking of joining in the future.

The talking head CEO's obsession with control and power is too much. As employees we were pressured into supporting her mayoral campaign last year and give signatures. People are nervous to turn her random (and frankly inappropriate) personal requests down in case they become a target. There are random layoffs where they get rid of good people out of nowhere which has created an unstable environment where people constantly worry about the security of their own jobs. I know if I said anything to my director I would be next on the chopping block. They do not want anyone who challenges them, despite the narrative that it is an open culture. There is in fact a huge blame culture, where human mistakes are punished rather than seen as a chance to learn. Forget about progression and career development at Belu, promotions are rare. There are people who have been at the company for years in the same junior positions. The salaries and bonuses also vary wildly for employees at the same level with no transparency. There is favouritism at play, when employees do inevitably end up discussing pay at the pub it causes awkwardness and demotivates those paid less than others at the same level. Boundaries are broken constantly, managers repeatedly message employees on their days off and do not respect personal time.

Pros: Genuine opportunity for growth if you’re proactive and want to develop. Strong focus on learning and personal development - you’re encouraged to step up and take ownership. Supportive, understanding, and relaxed culture while still being ambitious. It’s also motivating to work for a company that champions hospitality and is genuinely purpose-driven.

Cons: Honestly, if you love hospitality and want to work somewhere that balances commercial drive with positive impact, it’s hard to find real downsides.

I'll start by saying that working at Belu is currently a demoralising experience. When I joined I was under the impression it was a social enterprise that cares about the environment. It's more like a glorified water filter machine reseller at this point. I am sad to say the company has been losing its soul over the last couple of years and is now struggling to stay afloat in a crowded market. The problems start at the top with the two CEOs. One who does the bulk of the real work and another who acts as a talking head. The talking head CEO is obsessed with power, micromanages everything, and frequently undermines employees with passive-aggressive remarks like 'I assume you’ve done X' but it'll be the first time mentioning X as an attempt to make people feel uneasy and confused. She will create tests and plays ridiculous mind games with staff, especially new starters. This kind of behaviour trickles down and results in a toxic, fear based environment. The only positives I can give are that a few people are there for the right reasons, however they are always the quietest in the room, and the profits donated to WaterAid is going to a good cause. I have hesitated over whether to write this review, I doubt it will change anything within the company but at least I can warn others who might be thinking of joining in the future.

The talking head CEO's obsession with control and power is too much. As employees we were pressured into supporting her mayoral campaign last year and give signatures. People are nervous to turn her random (and frankly inappropriate) personal requests down in case they become a target. There are random layoffs where they get rid of good people out of nowhere which has created an unstable environment where people constantly worry about the security of their own jobs. I know if I said anything to my director I would be next on the chopping block. They do not want anyone who challenges them, despite the narrative that it is an open culture. There is in fact a huge blame culture, where human mistakes are punished rather than seen as a chance to learn. Forget about progression and career development at Belu, promotions are rare. There are people who have been at the company for years in the same junior positions. The salaries and bonuses also vary wildly for employees at the same level with no transparency. There is favouritism at play, when employees do inevitably end up discussing pay at the pub it causes awkwardness and demotivates those paid less than others at the same level. Boundaries are broken constantly, managers repeatedly message employees on their days off and do not respect personal time.

I'll start by saying that working at Belu is currently a demoralising experience. When I joined I was under the impression it was a social enterprise that cares about the environment. It's more like a glorified water filter machine reseller at this point. I am sad to say the company has been losing its soul over the last couple of years and is now struggling to stay afloat in a crowded market. The problems start at the top with the two CEOs. One who does the bulk of the real work and another who acts as a talking head. The talking head CEO is obsessed with power, micromanages everything, and frequently undermines employees with passive-aggressive remarks like 'I assume you’ve done X' but it'll be the first time mentioning X as an attempt to make people feel uneasy and confused. She will create tests and plays ridiculous mind games with staff, especially new starters. This kind of behaviour trickles down and results in a toxic, fear based environment. The only positives I can give are that a few people are there for the right reasons, however they are always the quietest in the room, and the profits donated to WaterAid is going to a good cause. I have hesitated over whether to write this review, I doubt it will change anything within the company but at least I can warn others who might be thinking of joining in the future.

The talking head CEO's obsession with control and power is too much. As employees we were pressured into supporting her mayoral campaign last year and give signatures. People are nervous to turn her random (and frankly inappropriate) personal requests down in case they become a target. There are random layoffs where they get rid of good people out of nowhere which has created an unstable environment where people constantly worry about the security of their own jobs. I know if I said anything to my director I would be next on the chopping block. They do not want anyone who challenges them, despite the narrative that it is an open culture. There is in fact a huge blame culture, where human mistakes are punished rather than seen as a chance to learn. Forget about progression and career development at Belu, promotions are rare. There are people who have been at the company for years in the same junior positions. The salaries and bonuses also vary wildly for employees at the same level with no transparency. There is favouritism at play, when employees do inevitably end up discussing pay at the pub it causes awkwardness and demotivates those paid less than others at the same level. Boundaries are broken constantly, managers repeatedly message employees on their days off and do not respect personal time.

I'll start by saying that working at Belu is currently a demoralising experience. When I joined I was under the impression it was a social enterprise that cares about the environment. It's more like a glorified water filter machine reseller at this point. I am sad to say the company has been losing its soul over the last couple of years and is now struggling to stay afloat in a crowded market. The problems start at the top with the two CEOs. One who does the bulk of the real work and another who acts as a talking head. The talking head CEO is obsessed with power, micromanages everything, and frequently undermines employees with passive-aggressive remarks like 'I assume you’ve done X' but it'll be the first time mentioning X as an attempt to make people feel uneasy and confused. She will create tests and plays ridiculous mind games with staff, especially new starters. This kind of behaviour trickles down and results in a toxic, fear based environment. The only positives I can give are that a few people are there for the right reasons, however they are always the quietest in the room, and the profits donated to WaterAid is going to a good cause. I have hesitated over whether to write this review, I doubt it will change anything within the company but at least I can warn others who might be thinking of joining in the future.

The talking head CEO's obsession with control and power is too much. As employees we were pressured into supporting her mayoral campaign last year and give signatures. People are nervous to turn her random (and frankly inappropriate) personal requests down in case they become a target. There are random layoffs where they get rid of good people out of nowhere which has created an unstable environment where people constantly worry about the security of their own jobs. I know if I said anything to my director I would be next on the chopping block. They do not want anyone who challenges them, despite the narrative that it is an open culture. There is in fact a huge blame culture, where human mistakes are punished rather than seen as a chance to learn. Forget about progression and career development at Belu, promotions are rare. There are people who have been at the company for years in the same junior positions. The salaries and bonuses also vary wildly for employees at the same level with no transparency. There is favouritism at play, when employees do inevitably end up discussing pay at the pub it causes awkwardness and demotivates those paid less than others at the same level. Boundaries are broken constantly, managers repeatedly message employees on their days off and do not respect personal time.

I'll start by saying that working at Belu is currently a demoralising experience. When I joined I was under the impression it was a social enterprise that cares about the environment. It's more like a glorified water filter machine reseller at this point. I am sad to say the company has been losing its soul over the last couple of years and is now struggling to stay afloat in a crowded market. The problems start at the top with the two CEOs. One who does the bulk of the real work and another who acts as a talking head. The talking head CEO is obsessed with power, micromanages everything, and frequently undermines employees with passive-aggressive remarks like 'I assume you’ve done X' but it'll be the first time mentioning X as an attempt to make people feel uneasy and confused. She will create tests and plays ridiculous mind games with staff, especially new starters. This kind of behaviour trickles down and results in a toxic, fear based environment. The only positives I can give are that a few people are there for the right reasons, however they are always the quietest in the room, and the profits donated to WaterAid is going to a good cause. I have hesitated over whether to write this review, I doubt it will change anything within the company but at least I can warn others who might be thinking of joining in the future.

The talking head CEO's obsession with control and power is too much. As employees we were pressured into supporting her mayoral campaign last year and give signatures. People are nervous to turn her random (and frankly inappropriate) personal requests down in case they become a target. There are random layoffs where they get rid of good people out of nowhere which has created an unstable environment where people constantly worry about the security of their own jobs. I know if I said anything to my director I would be next on the chopping block. They do not want anyone who challenges them, despite the narrative that it is an open culture. There is in fact a huge blame culture, where human mistakes are punished rather than seen as a chance to learn. Forget about progression and career development at Belu, promotions are rare. There are people who have been at the company for years in the same junior positions. The salaries and bonuses also vary wildly for employees at the same level with no transparency. There is favouritism at play, when employees do inevitably end up discussing pay at the pub it causes awkwardness and demotivates those paid less than others at the same level. Boundaries are broken constantly, managers repeatedly message employees on their days off and do not respect personal time.

Belu is a genuinely purpose-driven company where the mission is real and visible in day-to-day decisions. Knowing that the work we do contributes to global clean water projects adds meaning beyond just commercial performance. What stands out most to me is the strength of the leadership team and the quality of people across the business. There is strong, values-led leadership with clear direction and integrity at the core. Senior leaders are accessible, open to challenge, and supportive of new ideas — which creates a culture of trust and accountability. The team itself is fantastic. Belu is made up of highly skilled, well-informed professionals who genuinely care about doing things properly. Whether it’s operations, sales, sustainability, or finance, there’s a high level of competence and collaboration. You’re surrounded by people who take pride in their work and support each other to succeed. There’s also real opportunity to take ownership and build. If you’re proactive and solutions-focused, you’re empowered to make an impact.

As a growing business, the pace can be fast and priorities can shift as new opportunities arise. This requires adaptability and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone at times. However, for those who enjoy growth and momentum, this is part of the appeal.

Belu is a genuinely purpose-driven company where the mission is real and visible in day-to-day decisions. Knowing that the work we do contributes to global clean water projects adds meaning beyond just commercial performance. What stands out most to me is the strength of the leadership team and the quality of people across the business. There is strong, values-led leadership with clear direction and integrity at the core. Senior leaders are accessible, open to challenge, and supportive of new ideas — which creates a culture of trust and accountability. The team itself is fantastic. Belu is made up of highly skilled, well-informed professionals who genuinely care about doing things properly. Whether it’s operations, sales, sustainability, or finance, there’s a high level of competence and collaboration. You’re surrounded by people who take pride in their work and support each other to succeed. There’s also real opportunity to take ownership and build. If you’re proactive and solutions-focused, you’re empowered to make an impact.

As a growing business, the pace can be fast and priorities can shift as new opportunities arise. This requires adaptability and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone at times. However, for those who enjoy growth and momentum, this is part of the appeal.