Pros
This is actually a very difficult review to write, and I'm not in the habit of using Glassdoor normally. But based on my experience, I wanted to share an honest account, so those interviewing here can make an educated decision on whether to join, or not. The pros are obvious here and should definitely be celebrated - you're working on a genuinely great product, towards a mission that really matters. The team is incredibly intelligent, and really passionate about what they're doing. You'll learn a lot, and day to day will have some really interesting conversations. The team have also set up some great initiatives and social things based around shared hobbies. For an early stage business, it's good to see benefits like private medical insurance in place, and Spill for mental health support.
Cons
To summarise - from my experience, Sylvera is not a people-focused business. There's a lot of first time managers who are obviously amazing individual contributors, who have been promoted into management roles, without the right support. This resulted in a really poor experience from my side, where I consistently received constructive feedback, with little to no positives. This takes its toll over time on confidence, and overall motivation. I was also very disappointed around progression. Whilst frameworks are in place, I didn't see them implemented - my manager couldn't tell me what was expected of me, there were no targets ever set, and conversations around progression were shut down. To ensure progression is equitable, define great behaviours, make it clear to the entire team, and then stick to them to measure performance and give regular feedback against them. A flexible perk around a 4 and a half day working week was also removed on a Monday morning, effective immediately, with no consultation or (I thought) suitable notice, with little consideration for any employees with children, additional commitments, or complex home situations. I didn't feel this was particularly inclusive, and overall in my time here also felt a real pressure to work late hours, and constantly be online on Slack. It’s also worth saying I fed back all of the above whilst still employed here, and this was sadly not acknowledged.