Strong culture but unclear career growth options - Fullstack Web Developer HIP Creative Employee Review

I genuinely enjoy working here. The company has built a supportive and collaborative culture where everyone feels valued. Leadership is approachable and open to feedback, which makes me feel like my voice matters. There are great opportunities for personal and professional growth, and I’ve felt empowered to take on challenges that help me advance in my career. What I appreciate is how HIP prioritizes its clients, always going the extra mile to ensure they receive the best service and experience.

High standards are expected, which can be challenging but also very rewarding

Remote and Benefits were good.

I worked overtime nearly every week leading up to the month they let me go. Despite having "unlimited PTO," I only used it two weeks before being let go—for a church conference and my cousin's wedding and one other time in april for two days. I stepped up when colleagues faced personal losses, covered positions when others quit or were let go, and worked tirelessly to support the team. Yet, they terminated me for "looking unhappy," a narrative they used to justify their decision to themselves and others. Six months before my termination, I had a toxic one-on-one with my leader about my "productivity." In a role where every moment was tracked remotely, I wasn’t completing projects quickly enough for him. He suggested I work on "time-blocking," despite my experience at renowned companies known for their productivity training. That meeting left me in tears, feeling like no matter how hard I worked, it would never meet his standards. This same leader later called me on my personal phone during a week he was out for a funeral, claiming I wasn’t working enough and that everything was falling apart. He pressured me to notify him when I hit 60 hours a week—because that's what he would do. It felt like a constant competition with him, not about teamwork but who could endure more. After this incident, the company’s owners apologized, admitting his behavior was inappropriate and promising he’d eventually be removed from the team. Yet months passed, and he remained, micromanaging my every move. When a key team member quit, the leader positioned himself as indispensable, claiming he was the only one who knew how to handle that person's tasks. This deflected accountability from him and unfairly shifted the blame onto me, painting me as the problem. Meanwhile, I juggled an overwhelming workload, including a directive to photograph six partner locations (some up to two hours away) without any adjustment to my regular responsibilities. Even after I left the company, this leader had the audacity to claim I hadn’t sent the photos to the correct email—continuing his micromanagement. I gave my all to this company, going above and beyond, and I truly believed things would improve. I even recommended it to others, including family members, based on promises of change. But those promises were empty. In hindsight, I can confidently say this was a toxic work environment, and I wouldn’t recommend anyone work there.