Pros
The most relaxed corporate environment I’ve ever worked in. If you love dogs, the office feels like a dream. People bring their dogs in constantly, there are puppies running around, and the culture actually reflects the brand.
Management at the team level was extremely laid-back. My direct manager was great to work for and trusted people to do their jobs without micromanaging. There was a lot of flexibility around coming into the office, and as long as you got your work done no one was hovering over you.
The people were also a highlight. The staff skewed slightly younger and creative, with a lot of millennial hipster energy. People had quirky senses of humor and were genuinely fun to work with.
For my role, the pay was reasonable and the workload was very manageable. It was also one of the few corporate jobs where my stress level was noticeably lower and my overall health was better while working there.
Kontras
The instability. I was hired shortly after a round of mass layoffs, and about a year later my entire team and I were laid off as well. It created an underlying sense that the company was constantly restructuring.
There’s also a massive growing push toward automation and overseas labor replacing internal roles, which makes long-term stability feel impossible.
Another thing I noticed: whenever I told people I worked at BARK, a common response was “Oh, I used to subscribe to BarkBox.” Usually in the past tense. The employees are wonderful, but the brand momentum doesn’t feel as strong as it once was.