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Sphero

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Sphero reviews

3.7

60% would recommend to a friend

(50 total reviews)

Paul Copioli

90% approve of CEO

39% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.4

Diversity & inclusion

4.1

Compensation and benefits

3.9

Culture & values

3.6

Work/Life balance

3.3

Senior management

3.3

Career opportunities

Sphero has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 50 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Sphero employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Information Technology industry (3.9 stars).

Reviews by job title

50 reviews
2.0
Nov 23, 2019

Chaotic enviroment. No vision. Ego encouraged.

Fire extinguisher
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Decent benefits and perks. Wonderful and talented peers.

Cons

I've seen a lot in my time at Sphero. BB-8 in 2015 was the height of the highs. From there it became clearer and clearer that the executive team isn't skilled at running a successful or profitable business. Far too many people were hired in the following year, with many being laid off in 2018 due to poor growth planning and a very short-sighted vision. The turnover of employees is well into the hundreds in the time I've been there. Exit feedback doesn't seem to be taken into account to improve the negatives, and there are quite a few. More recently, there was a second round of layoffs within 2 years. Somehow the same team is at the top, hinting that personal relationships may be held in higher regard than the success of the business. The values on paper don't match the culture in person, with competitive, bullish, ego-driven "yes man" attitudes that get you ahead in the organization. Also, being male definitely helps. I am one, but I also see what female employees experience. There is no leadership or growth training, and it shows. I was horrified by how some Director and VP level employees treated people, especially behind closed doors. The longer your tenure, the more damage you do to your personal growth and career, as bad habits are enabled. Disrespect is the norm and standing up for yourself, your work, or tactfully questioning authority gives you the reputation of a troublemaker. The company spends foolishly, and compensates relatively poorly. Adults don't need to be fed free lunches and have snacks and frozen food on hand. It's nice, but retaining valuable talent is more important. There is no long term plan or vision, and the short-term strategy is manic, shifting priorities constantly and adding more and more to employee's plates without much understanding of the impact on morale, time, and return. Use caution in applying to what seems like a great opportunity on paper. You'll either be laid off or get so overwhelmed by doing 4-5 jobs at once with no support that you'll leave very quickly. "We're a scrappy startup" is no excuse for overworking and undersupporting your employees. And you've been around since 2010... it's really time to rethink how you do things and put the startup card to rest.

avatar
Sphero Response
6y
Thank you for your years of service. I%E2%80%99m really sorry to hear you felt things were poorly run during your tenure at Sphero. I%E2%80%99d be happy to receive your feedback one on one, if you%E2%80%99d like to reach out to me directly, and I can provide some deeper insights on how we run the company. While I cannot change how you feel, it may offer a better understanding of a venture backed business model. The road of growth from startup to a large profitable business is never easy and good people are sometimes impacted. I assure you it is the hardest part of running a company like Sphero. I do want to specifically note your comment about %E2%80%9Cwhat female employees experience%E2%80%9D as we take this type of feedback very seriously. We strive to create an inclusive culture. If you didn%E2%80%99t experience this while at Sphero, we%E2%80%99d like to know and encourage you to contact people@sphero.com so that we can learn more. This is true for any current employee as well. I hope you take pride in all you helped to accomplish for millions of kids in thousands of classrooms around the world. I extend my sincerest gratitude for this, and wish you the best of luck with your next step in your career.
2.0
Oct 27, 2019

A company in decline

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good people (aside from upper management), good benefits and good perks.

Cons

After three questionable acquisitions and two rounds of layoffs in less than two years, the core group of executives is still in charge. Even though there's more than enough evidence to suggest the CEO, CFO and CMO have no idea how to run a business, no one has stepped down or been fired by the board. At least 85 people have been sacrificed so that the C-suite can keep their jobs. Now that the company is slowly coasting into the sea, it's obvious the goal is to stay afloat long enough to get acquired. There's no long-term plan, there's no short-term plan. They're just looking to cash out and bail. Stay away.

avatar
Sphero Response
6y
Thank you for providing your feedback. It looks like you are a current and long time employee from your posting - I encourage you to talk to me directly or speak with the People Team. You seem unhappy in your role and I hope you feel comfortable taking the steps of sharing with us openly so we can address your concerns. Our doors are always open and we would love to connect. We haven't had the CMO role on the C-suite or in the company for almost three years and the CFO is new in his role in the last two years. I'm the only C-level exec still in my original role - every senior exec is two years or less in tenure for the role but a few have been with the company a bit longer yet in different roles. The point is the senior exec team has seen tremendous change over the last two years - five out of seven roles were changed in this most recent restructure and compared to January 2018, the entire team is new - so I'm not sure I follow the feedback other than the part directed at me. We%E2%80%99ve made some changes as an organization that we feel will set us up for a successful future - most notably now to focus on profitable growth vs. just growth overall. I know that the restructure was challenging for many people, but I feel it was necessary to ensure a positive and long future for Sphero. I hope that you know that your contributions are meaningful and make a big impact on the lives of children across the world. I%E2%80%99m sorry that you feel this way. I really hope you share your feedback with me, your manager or the People Team - your job should be rewarding and enjoyable and it sounds like it is not for you at the moment. I hope you reach out, but if not, I hope that overtime things improve and you begin to enjoy your job.
2.0
Jan 5, 2017

Great People - Terrible Senior Management

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Really smart, passionate people who want to do good work below management. Working with cutting edge hardware and forward thinking ideas. Fun work environment.

Cons

Zero strategic direction - chasing the dollar. Constant shifts in product ideas and timelines. Do not listen to experts they hire. Facade of transparency and collaboration.

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Glassdoor has 54 Sphero reviews submitted anonymously by Sphero employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Sphero is right for you.