I started reporting on Outdoor Voices in December after allegations of mistreatment bubbled up on Instagram. It quickly evolved into a deeper, more complicated story about culture and what employees say they endured working at their dream company
buzzfeednews.com/article/briann…
buzzfeednews.com/article/briann…
20 former and current employees, mostly women, from juniors to executives, said they were often belittled, gaslighted, and not fairly compensated for demanding work that bled into their personal lives
They described a chaotic, toxic workplace steeped in fear and intimidation
They described a chaotic, toxic workplace steeped in fear and intimidation
A lot of the tough, grunt work fell to younger employees, who said they were afraid of losing their jobs if they spoke out. Most said they cried at work. They had panic attacks and went to therapy because of the emotional distress and mental fuckery that went on at OV
I spent months trying to corroborate their stories to the best of my ability
Nearly every person said HR was woefully inadequate. Three former staff members also said their managers told them not to talk to HR about their issues or concerns
A former VP said HR was "nonexistent"
Nearly every person said HR was woefully inadequate. Three former staff members also said their managers told them not to talk to HR about their issues or concerns
A former VP said HR was "nonexistent"
A huge issue, many senior-level employees said, was Haney's leadership. She was passionate about the image, community, and creative direction, but many former staffers said the culture she created undercut OV's potential and growth. The company always had solid sales, a VP said
Haney said on Insta that she's "unable to tell my story in full because of documents I was required to sign when being removed from my position at OV while on maternity leave" + this is part of an "unsettling trend" to take down female founders
instagram.com/p/B9k74QdjcJN/…
instagram.com/p/B9k74QdjcJN/…
However, most former OV employees said they moved their lives, uprooted families to Austin, and took pay cuts because they so believed in Haney and the boundary-breaking brand she founded. A handful of women said they stayed years b/c they were passionate about the mission
When asked what they hoped the outcome of this story would be, many former employees said they hoped to start a conversation about what really goes on at these trendy, darling startups that explode and rake in money and Instagram fame before their founders can catch a breath
a 27yo former OV employee: "I hope we have a conversation about what CEOs at big popular companies are asking young, underpaid, hungry employees to do. There's no system in place. We don't know what we are entitled to. No one was advocating on my behalf"
