Pros
The People - After working many years at Brooklinen, I have had the privilege of working with some of the smartest, most passionate, dedicated, kind, incredible people. I have made lifelong connections during my time at the company and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and grow my career along side everyone there. There are few OGs left, but there are still some pockets of brilliance left that are keeping the brand going. Besides that, benefits are pretty good - 20 days PTO standard, then +5 additional after 5 years. 4 week sabbatical after 5 years - but you are then tied to the company for 6 months after you return (you have to pay back your salary during the 4 weeks if you leave before that), so really you need to commit 5.5 years for the sabbatical. Decent health insurance, beautiful office. $1k vacation bonus - but that $ has not changed ever, so the value of that bonus has decreased SIGNIFICANTLY over the years and makes feel less competitive each year.
Cons
Leadership. Since the new C-suite was hired, the company has shifted from a people-first organization to a profit-above-all-else operation, and it shows at every level. Decision-making feels reactive, teams are pitted against each other when revenue is poor, and blame is placed on individual senior managers or directors instead of reassessing the brand strategy, customer insights, or long-term positioning. The target customer has shifted away from the vibrant, city-dwelling young professional audience that made the brand unique, toward a narrower, older, wealthier suburban demographic—eroding the brand’s original values and energy. Tenured employees, especially those who worked their way up internally, are undervalued and frequently overlooked for leadership opportunities in favor of outside hires. This has eroded the culture and stripped away much of what once made Brooklinen a great place to work. Pay is underwhelming. Raises generally are around 2-3%, with top performers maybe getting up to 4–5% (and can be as low as 0.5%), and internal promotions tend to fall at the lower end of salary bands, while new hires are brought in at higher rates. Only directors and above are eligible for bonuses, reinforcing the lack of investment in junior and mid-level staff. The one-time bonus given in early 2025 was appreciated but not a recurring benefit.