Helix reviews

Helix is an amazing, mission-driven company. Very well backed (just raised another $200M from top-tier investors) and has the full support of Illumina, the market leader in genomics. Innovative platform model that is very differentiated from anyone else - ultimately positioned well to win because of its ability to work with dozens of partners to attack different markets. Great people and culture - collaborative, no politics. Management is committed to the well-being of people and provides great benefits. 3 months of parental leave (for both new dads and moms) is amazing for a startup and shows that they walk the walk, as people actually take their full leave with strong support.

Helix had all the recipes for great success when they first started the company. On the surface level, great leadership, strong backing by Illumina, inspirational team members, and an incredible dream to change the landscape in consumer genomics. There are still great team members here(Director level and below) but the inspiration has been sucked out of every employee by the politics and lack of real leadership at the top of this company. This is a dog eat dog company where leaders are hired because of their relationship with the C-suite. Cough, diversity? What diversity means at the leadership level is graduating from Stanford between the years of 2002 and 2010. That was the criteria to get hired as a VP of co-founder. This is an extremely smart group, but smarts don't equate to leadership and tenured management experience. Most haven't actually managed people before Helix, ever, and it's showing. The results of lack of management or leadership training is busting from the seems and the teams below them are suffering. Quarter after quarter employee engagement is inching lower and lower...now falling on a knife. It's a sad state of affairs when people sacrifice their lives to companies that promise trust, transparency, and collaborative work environments only to be thrust into a real-world Game of Thrones with King Joffrey and his cohort rule at the top. The best people are getting axed like Ed Stark on the chopping block. Not literally, but figuratively pushed out by the political games of a tyrannical culture where "integrity, integrity, intregrity" really means do it my way or get the hell out. It's time for year-end reviews, bonuses, and promotion cycles. This is the time where people should be coming together and celebrating big wins. There will be some celebration for those that are doing well in the regime and rightfully so...they got lucky knowing the right people at the right time during their collegiate years or sit pretty at the top and have no real accountability for their people. For the other 95% of people, do the rounds with the HR team as they come out of their nestled corner and attempt to talk to you after a year of dormancy. The employee engagement survey is going to be taken seriously this time by the gang. We’re going to turn this place into an amazing place to work! The Leadership Team is making the moves to turn into a group that you were hoping you would be able to trust. Don't pay attention to the exodus of people that are starting to resign and leave for greener pastures. Or the massive dilution event that's turned your .00004% into .00000000004%. At least the dilution we face this time has been transparent and not brushed under the rug by the good citizens in HR. The dream that our stock is going to make us millionaires is still here! Oh wait, that’s only for protected individuals at the C-suite that are getting refreshers to keep them whole. But don’t worry, you’ve been given a refresher too during your review to keep you somewhat whole, haven’t you? Or you can leave with the rest of us and take your life back.