Avoid, unless you don't care about your job safety, nervous system and like to gamble - Head of Department Wise Employee Review

1.0
Mar 18, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Perks: You are treated relatively well with perks and a warm welcome, as long you are happy to comply with a cult-like Wiser identity, be in the office 4-5 times a week in the first months, work 14-16 hour days and talk a lot of corporate BS under free-spirited pretence. If you last despite the huge turnover, you might be able to work longer term remotely ( if you get on with your boss and get approval). A tiny % of people who pass the 4-year mark can take a sabbatical, 4.5 years later with a 6-month notice. They deserve it truly if they could navigate this place for so long.

Cons

Another lawless startup with an expanded budget and inflated headcount but no competence, structure or empathy towards employees a large organisation should have on a larger scale. Huge turnover. HR and many leads are arrogant, and incompetent Gen Zs are supposed to 'play' leaders. Competent and decent professionals are not rewarded, stay in some roles for years or are given no clarity and have a rotating leadership with no job description. Very typical bad corporate behavior. There is a widespread practice of making people disappear on probation, including those who agreed to relocate for the role with pets and children, they can easily find themselves locked out of systems and left to own devices in the country they moved to for their role. I have seen two examples of such relocation firings myself in 8 weeks, and several examples of people just 'disappearing'. There is a lot of hush-hush politics, the so-called feedback culture is no actual feedback and all politics. There is also a cult(ure) trap for younger adults with no family to identify as ' Wisers' and build leisure time and self around it, so it is particularly shocking when they find themselves out of the door due to politics or office closure, and which is worse -out of identity. Wise gambles with people's mental health in a really bad way. You can have a read on feedback from those several hundred fired during the Tampa office closure, as the so-called Wiser colleagues found themselves locked out of their place of work of many years by email, not even a call, the company doesn't even pretend to care anymore. There is also a system built to avoid any accountability - no emails are used to communicate within the business, only Slack and so-called one-way' tickets' to raise, no copy received, to make sure you have nothing to hold on to in case the company does you dirty. If you do decide to try and take their offer I suggest you make sure you see the contract early on, challenge it to suit you, and be ready that nothing will go by the plan ( including screenings, relocation help etc). They normally try to not share the contract until you need to sign it on the day, in geographies where they can pull it off. Red flag. Also, if relocating, make sure you include compensation for moving back to your country in case it doesn't work out, and any costs related included in their offer. Otherwise you are in for a big surprise. I've been working in corporate for the last 15 years and it is the weirdest, cultiest place I have encountered with an astronomic amount of mistakes their people ops make including wrong wages and incredibly arrogant behaviour. They all talk about inclusivity and diversity, but that's just on paper - you won't find an actual wheelchair user or someone who needs to pray in the daytime, as those rooms 'for mediation and prayer' are for show and conveniently turned into call booths when needed by the facilities. Work-life balance is also for young and healthy as you are expected to be in 4-5 times a week in the first 6 month which is tough if you are used to hybrid. I suggest to avoid this place unless you have lots of savings, are young and carefree, your nervous system can tolerate arrogance and blunt in-your-face lack of accountability, and you are happy to take a gamble. I certainly wasn't asked to do what I was hired to do and was expected to be ok with it. My experience is as a senior hire who knows what 'good looks like' and could challenge many aspects, I suppose being an agent or more junior is even less appealing.

Explore other reviews about Wise

5.0
Mar 12, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

flexible review pay lots of feedback

Cons

repetitive long hours can be frustrating no sponsorship for visa

avatar
Wise Response
2mo
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We’re pleased to hear that you appreciate the flexibility, benefits and culture. We hope you continue enjoying your experience at Wise.
3.0
Feb 25, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Mission-Driven Work: Wise’s mission of "money without borders" aligned perfectly with my personal values. I was genuinely excited to go to work every day, tackle challenges, and track our progress toward that goal. Exceptional Peer Group: The hiring bar is high; you’ll work with smart, diverse, and genuinely interesting people from all backgrounds. Cutting-Edge Product: Working on the Wise Platform is a great technical experience. As an Implementation Manager, you get excellent visibility and access to the Product and Engineering teams. Top-Tier Documentation: Internal enablement and documentation are highly organized, making it easy to self-serve and find answers quickly.

Cons

Lack of Transparency in Management: I received no negative feedback during my probation period, only to be placed on a PIP two weeks after it ended. The feedback loop is non-existent; instead of real-time coaching, minor oversights are "saved up" to justify disciplinary action. Poor Feedback Quality: The PIP I received felt AI-generated, filled with corporate jargon and lacking substantive examples of performance failure. It felt like a formality rather than a genuine attempt at development. Toxic Management Culture: There is a palpable sense of micromanagement and "back-stabbing" within certain leadership circles. The environment shifted from collaborative to manipulative, with a noticeable lack of directness and honesty. Growth Hurdles: The Sales team appears to be struggling to close deals, which impacts the overall momentum of the department.

8
avatar
Wise Response
2mo
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. You raised a number of concerns and I hope you were able to discuss these before you left. If you’d be comfortable to share more details, we’d really appreciate it. Please drop us an email at employerbrand@wise.com.
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All