Institute for Integrative Nutrition Reviews

I have been working at Institute for Integrative Nutrition full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – It's funny how many of my former coworkers say the same thing-- how when you are hired it's so exciting to work in a place with similar values, how inspiring it is until... Well, until you work there for a time and you see things, hear things and become... shall we say bitter? Disillusioned? Frustrated? Because this does not feel like a job at first--this is a mission! We are going to reverse the tide of disease! You hear in meetings -- We, as an organization will spread health and happiness through health coaches into every corner of this world!

But, all honeymoons come to an end. You get micromanaged. To the point where your whole day is plotted in a chart, and you account for every hour. Bathroom break for 15 minutes? Why so long?

And then there's pressure to work 'smarter' on projects basically cutting corners because timeline keeps shrinking, skipping important research and planning, we need results and we want it now. Or yesterday. That in itself is not too unique to this place, i mean, what company wouldn't like to squeeze every possible drop of performance out of the emplyees?

But the self congratulatory talk... Wow... Does not match the treatment of employees, the distrust, the silent layoffs, the manipulation of vendors, pressure to make people work over the holidays, the pressure for working late nights without fair compensation, the long winded praise of dumb people who take credit for other people's work, layoffs of pregnant women, firing women and men who just had newborns without batting an eye... You can expect that from another company, but IIN that preaches balance and wellness? That's where you get bitter, and when it's your turn to go, you go gladly, still remembering your amazing co-workers fondly, and shaking your head at the rest with a smile on your face... I can't believe it, you'll say... I survived that with my sanity and self esteem intact. And you know what? It's a joyful feeling. It feels great.

Cons – There are no cons. It's an amazing place that will test your limits. I guess, the massages are only 15 minutes. But they are still very good

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

I worked at Institute for Integrative Nutrition

Pros – Good pay, massages once a week, free organic food... Really loved my co-workers I have to say I have never worked in a place where almost everyone for the most part got a long and were very positive. I actually really loved it there until I was laid off for no reason out of the blue.

Cons – I worked for the company for over a year had no complaints whatsoever, was a very happy and loyal employee, never had management say anything bad, got along with everybody, then I get laid off out of nowhere with no explanation even though I was doing better than most of the staff there. I still have no explanation for this, but I can't say I am surprised I have seen about 4 different lay offs in a year. They make you think it is a company that cares about their employees but obviously they do not. I felt like i was just left in the dust like I was nothing to them ever... pretty sad and disappointing.

Advice to Senior Management – You might want to be more transparent with your employees and actually tell them what is going on.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at Institute for Integrative Nutrition

Pros – A few people--ones who didn't drink the Kool-Aid--were nice, smart, and had good intentions in an otherwise toxic place.

Cons – Everything. It's one of the worst bait-and-switches with the worst management in the business.

Advice to Senior Management – Shut this sham down; it hurts people under the guise of being "a mission."

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at Institute for Integrative Nutrition full-time

Pros – They manage to hire really smart and amazing people. Awesome co-workers are the pros. Most of what people consider being perks is master manipulation anyway. There are more cons than pros, but the overall environment taught me a lot and for that I am grateful.

Cons – Once upon a time, I took this job as eager as anyone else after being sold on all the great perks and amazing opportunities for growth as a female employee. Boy was I mislead. After years of working for IIN, yes, I did move up the “ladder”, but was not compensated fairly, well below the average salary in New York City for the positions I was in. But hey, who doesn’t want a massage every other week? In addition, the decisions for the positions that people are put in are made without consulting the employee. Nice, right?

There were many meetings where staff was told how each of them would be making a six-figure income if they continued to take on more and more work. Well, duh, that’s what should happen. More work = more pay, you would think. HA! Lies, lies. On the other hand, people who were given raises were also told that more income means you’re more likely to lose your job. What? These motivational meetings that randomly took place would leave people inspired, only to reveal that it was all deception.

The organization of this “school” is extremely chaotic and not thought out at all. There are young people in high-level “executive” positions with no other qualifications other than being obedient and ignorant. Submissive. Not everyone has a real job title or description and are thrown into new roles all the time. Much more qualified employees end up demoted or fired for speaking their mind, getting pregnant, having a baby, getting engaged/married, going on a honeymoon or simply for no valid reason at all. And when people exit the company, no one is ever informed. For many, checking the staff phone directory for who was missing became a routine part of the week. Transparency at it’s best.

The communication across departments is very lacking and even more so is communication from managers and executives. No one knows who does what, who sits where, or what is going on. I am all for an environment that moves at a fast pace and welcomes change, but not in a way that is haphazard. The staff won’t have even a moment to think about the changes that are happening, and when things don’t go right, the person who dictated change will flat out deny that they asked for it in the first place. Working for IIN requires you to be flexible, which is a great skill, but this was ridiculous.

The culture of IIN is bizarre. I am happy with my life, but that doesn’t mean that I want to hug and touch people in meetings for the purpose of sharing and to bond. Ew. There is lots of phony love going around. Flowers on your desk, organic food, free kombucha and chocolate on occasion, massages, inspirational calendars and metro cards ≠ honest respect and appreciation as an employee. The staff at IIN works extremely hard to carry out the mission of the school, however, the mission is not carried out internally.

Let’s talk about loyalty. Wait, there is none of this going on. Everyone is expendable and there is no long-term investment in any of the staff. Don’t even think about making this a lasting, meaningful career.

Advice to Senior Management – Most importantly, value your hard working, intelligent employees - they are the ones making this a success. Practice what you "teach” – actions speak louder than words. Speak the truth. Think about what you're saying before you say it. Keep your promises (or at least don't deny them). Do legitimate performance reviews. Provide a clear path for professional growth and opportunities. Provide adequate training and continuing education. Compensate people fairly, with tangible money. Be genuine. Truly care about the women who are working to support their families. Don't play favorites. Be transparent, for real. Stop sweeping this all under the rug.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at Institute for Integrative Nutrition full-time for less than a year

Pros – free food, MTA transit check, free yoga and massage

Cons – Even with all those benefits up above the worst thing is employees do not have a clue of what is going on within the company.
The other thing is if you have a family and need medical/vision/dental insurance, this is not the company for you. It is 1100 dollars a month out of your paycheck.
No moving up, your stuck in your position you were hired in.

Advice to Senior Management – Cut out the free food, MTA transit check, yoga, massage, and free iphones and paying for the bills and start investing in what matter most health benefits and employee's overall satisfaction to stay within the company.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at Institute for Integrative Nutrition full-time for less than a year

Pros – Many of the staff were genuinely kind individuals.

Cons – When I initially got my job at IIN, I was very excited about the position. The benefits sounded amazing, and although the pay was extremely low, the manifesto and mission of the school aligned with my beliefs to the point that I could overlook the money. Unfortunately, just like all the marketing collateral for the “school” itself, the benefits are nothing but a smarmy ploy to get employees to work long hours and put up with patronizing, micromanaging policies. I felt more like a high school student than a responsible adult in a workplace environment. I even realized that, just like in school, deferring to individuals who are not in the office every day and make decisions that negatively impact employees is a MUST if you want to succeed.

Working in the marketing department, I was also very uncomfortable with the way we promoted the “school” and it’s offerings. The ways we were instructed to write about the school were, like the benefits, at best, vague.

I knew I was done when we had a huge meeting at which time raises for staff were promised, which, from these reviews, seem to never have happened. At the meeting we were also told that the company was in a very strong position, which, from the mass layoffs, seems not to be the case. During this meeting, no one elevated issues that were negatively impacting employees, only talking about airy issues such as the lack of eggs in the fridge. Shortly after the meeting, I had a another meeting where my department and my boss were insulted in a snide, unprofessional manner. I don’t know if the reasoning was to intimidate or what, but it was so off putting and unprofessional that I put in my two weeks’ notice that very day. While I would expect that kind of behavior in other work environments, I wouldn’t at a place that preaches kindness, compassion and loving your work.

When I quit, I met with an HR employee who condescendingly told me that the work wasn’t for everyone and that IIN was more of a start up environment where only the truly driven succeeded. This could answer many questions as to why this workplace is so badly organized: people in power either do not understand or do not want to see the reality of this workplace for the vision they have of it.

Advice to Senior Management – First, upper management should be in the office more often to fully understand how their policies impact the implementation of everyday projects. Second, transparency in terms of benefits for employees would be much appreciated, as these are very opaque at this point and are a huge pain point for employees. Third, micromanaging employees and treating them in a condescending manner is not the best way to foster and maintain loyalty.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at Institute for Integrative Nutrition full-time for more than a year

Pros – The best part of this job is working with a group of amazing individuals who are truly some of the most inspiring and kind people I know. Everyone looks forward to our bi-weekly table massages.

Cons – Everything is an illusion. And if you ever knew what was behind the curtain, you would dare never peak. After attending IIN, I became a successful Health Coach, spreading the word and shamelessly promoting the school. I can honestly tell you that it changed my life. But after working here for over a year now, my views have changed. How did you feel when you realized Santa is not real? When the thing you so deeply believe in is proven not real is the most disappointing experience. To see how IIN actually treats their employees, to see how much lying and deceit goes on is deplorable. “IIN’s Mission” is flattering thought that will win a Miss America Beauty Pageant, but nothing more.

Everything is an illusion. When I read the benefits for the job, I thought this must be the best place every to work, but now that I’m here, my thoughts have changed and now realize it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. Free organic breakfasts and lunch? Not so free when you get taxed heavily on your paychecks. Full healthcare? We have the cheapest coverage and hardly anyone takes our insurance. Hardly “full” when you cannot find someone who covers you. Flowers on your desk weekly? You get ONE flower each week. Bonuses are taxed 42%. Gift Cards given to you as kudos get taken off your paychecks, which is not much to begin with. And every week you find out how deep the rabbit hole goes.

Everything is an illusion. My first 3 and ½ months here was great, but the proverbial Honeymoon period abruptly ended with the firing of a many good employees. No warning, no nothing, just gone. Every time this happens, (which is every few months) you get more and more scared that you are next. Employees are replaceable, dispensable, expendable. This is the highest turnover rate that I have ever seen in all the companies that I have worked for. Everyone has a plan B incase they are next on the chopping block. We have even seen management and HR fabricate feeble and vague stories about why certain people have been let go to cover up egregious behavior by the company.

Everything is an illusion. I will confirm what one of the other posts said about HR Managers making their employees write positive reviews here. I know at least 2 people were given that task.

Sadly, this is just another corporate job. I have started my search for a job with more meaning, with more hope, with a company who really does walk the walk. Yes, this is better than no job, but if you value your time, take pride in the work you do, and truly have talent, my recommendation is to look elsewhere to put your talent to use.

Choose the BLUE pill!

Advice to Senior Management – Stop lying to us; we see right through it. Stop cheating the system; everyone knows you are doing it.

Treat us like valued employees. Appreciate us. Respect us.

Most of all, live your mission. That is why we are all here. Read it to yourself everyday and ask “Is what I am doing and what I am asking my employees do contributing the this mission?”

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at Institute for Integrative Nutrition full-time

Pros – The people are very sweet and enthusiastic. The job offers lunch (though it seems more to keep people in the building so they don't take too long for lunch—they are very strict on how long you take for lunch!)

Cons – A very strange place. There is a culture of mistrust and people are walking on eggshells thinking they are going to "get caught" for something. Everyone is being watched. People are asked by JR to spy on others. There are no older employees there. It is not at all friendly for a woman who has children or an involved father. Pay is very low. People are very, very overworked and afraid to speak up. Though there is a lot of lipservice at IIN and in the IIN health coach program about work-life balance, it does not exist here. There are no opportunities for distance working, telecommuting, part time or flex time work. People get let go for random things.

Advice to Senior Management – There is a real culture of fear here. Cowering workers. I do not know how this can be fixed. It would have to be something that Joshua Rosenthal would have to change in himself or his outlook or the way he sees his business.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Institute for Integrative Nutrition full-time for more than a year

Pros – An iphone 5 that would cost you $700 if something happens to it and transit check. Oh and some daisies on your desk every Monday.

Cons – It's difficult to understand a company that promotes wellness and is toxic at the same time. Late 2012 they announced that it was the best year ever for the school, congratulations! Early 2013, pack your stuff, the company is doing terrible. The day to day work environment is hostile, with management talking behind your back it's incredibly uncomfortable. People are being demoted and laid off daily. The institution does not care about its employees.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at Institute for Integrative Nutrition full-time for more than a year

Pros – Intelligent employees who really care about the mission the school portrays to the public. Organic breakfast, lunch and snack was a definite plus. A ten minute massage every other week was nice too.

Cons – Unfortunately the cons of working at IIN vastly outweigh the pros. The organization is run like a popularity contest. And you would think that high school girls are playing dress up if you saw who was at the "executive" level. Essentially when you are new and eager to please the founder, work hard, jump when he says jump, you are showered with his "affections", which means you become one of his inner circle. There is an atmosphere of competition for the founders affections. This created a hostile work environment for many who worked directly with him. In my time working for the company, and it is a company that is profit driven, above all else, rather than a legitimate educational organization, I was witness to multiple layoffs. They essentially clean house, which makes for a very unstable environment. I participated in meetings where the founder encouraged junior staff to go to their manager to take on more work, with promises of higher salaries that never came. This was a manipulative tactic to get people to assume more responsibility so they could then fire the managers and pay the juniors less for doing the same work. This tactic was used time and again. They have a practice of calling consultants with the intent to get as much free info from them knowing they never had the intentions to hire them. And the tales of discrimination against pregnant women and staff that take maternity leave, are very true. Several women were fired shortly after they announced they were pregnant, never came back from maternity leave because they were let go, demoted the very next day, or demoted upon returning from maternity leave. One woman at the executive level came back to an embarrassing demotion to an administrative position in a cubicle. All this when the founder claims to be an advocate for women and their empowerment. The student population is probably 95% women who feel they are part of a movement that is supportive of them, hence the over the top ambassador advocacy that IIN graduates portray; when behind the scenes the real story is manipulation, discrimination, submissiveness, ageism and racism. The founder likes having people who say "yes" and act as his mouthpieces as part of his inner circle. If someone asserts themselves, and contributes legitimate recommendations that are counter to his wishes they are ignored and blacklisted. It truly was a toxic environment that was fear inducing and created paranoia among the staff. Not the healthy environment that it portrays in the videos and on the career page. It's all smoke and mirrors. There is some connection to Landmark Forum too. New employees are pressured to do the Landmark Forum. The founder has some connection to Landmark that was never really clear. Some employees were fine with the request to do Landmark, but others were very uncomfortable and felt pressured by HR. Besides all the dirty laundry, the organization has been insensitive in the time of crisis situations. When Hurricane Sandy hit New York City the office was shut down for a week. Emails from HR began with updates about the power at the office. No questions of "how are you?" "Are you displaced?" When the harsh reality was yes, many staff experience displacement and extraordinarily difficult conditions. Then emails about work from your phone or go somewhere to use a computer started. People were doing conference calls from coffee shops. Then the email that said, if you are unable to work, you can use your vacation or comp time. That was the last straw for some staff. They never regained faith that their employer actually did care about them above the profit machine of IIN. Finally after mangers spoke to HR and expressed how upset staff were by these emails, another went out rescinding the previous communications and saying "you don't have to use your vacation". All this was incredibly stressful when people were just trying to survive. Gee, thanks for the support.

Advice to Senior Management – Allow people with skills, and intelligence to advance in the company. Stop letting junior people run projects they have no business being on. Walk the talk. Be authentic, transparent, and truthful. Look the word "integrity" up. Study it and try very hard to get to a place where you can say the company truly operates with this special quality that you clearly do not possess. Respond to accusations instead of trying to bury them.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company