What is the company culture at Malaberg?

If you’re brand new to the industry, the copywriting training is… fine. Solid fundamentals, reasonably structured, and at first glance quite intensive. But that initial excitement comes with a rather steep psychological and professional cost once you realise what sits beneath it.

The culture is largely shaped by leadership with very limited management experience- starting at the top with the founders and filtering down through a layer of early-twenties managers who’ve had little opportunity to develop genuine leadership skills. Despite this, the expectation is absolute conformity. There’s a clear streak of narcissism that colours both the decisions made and the way they’re delivered. The founder I worked most closely with (the one overseeing the copy team) is strikingly unreceptive to any kind of feedback or challenge from virtually anyone, regardless of seniority or expertise. Officially, you’re encouraged to learn from other writers, but in reality, you’re expected to imitate only the founder’s approach, as though you’ve somehow already outgrown even the more seasoned copywriters in the industry (or other departments) It looks like promotion rarely reflects creativity, competence, or genuine contribution. It’s far more dependent on brown-nosing your way upward- a performative loyalty that rewards the loudest admiration rather than the strongest ideas. As a result, you end up with an inflated sense of confidence among some very unskilled people, which ultimately serves the founders ego far more than it benefits the staff or the organisation. there is no trust in the team whatsoever. Remote work isn’t even entertained. simply because they don’t trust anyone not to skive off the second they’re out of sight. Unsurprisingly, turnover is exceptionally high. Teams are constantly restructured, disbanded, or left unsure of their remit. Transparency is minimal, and major changes tend to be announced late, vaguely, or not at all. Job security feels tenuous at best.

Some genuinely friendly, supportive, and talented colleagues. Opportunities to learn quickly.

Employees are asked to write fake 5 star reviews to cover up the many, many bad ones. I would strongly caution anyone considering a role here. The work involves marketing products that lack robust scientific support, primarily to elderly customers, by preying on their fears of aging and health problems. The advertising relies on sensationalist, clickbait-style tactics that are both misleading and unethical. There is a pervasive culture of fear around job security. When an unexpected meeting with management or the founders appears on your calendar, the immediate assumption is that you are about to be fired. This is because staff turnover is exceptionally high, with employees frequently being terminated without genuine reason. This creates a constant cycle of firing and rehiring, resulting in projects and accounts regularly changing hands. Large-scale 'restructurings' are common, followed by company-wide meetings announcing major strategic changes, only for those changes to be reversed weeks later. The result is an environment of confusion, instability, and uncertainty. Many members of management are inexperienced, having been promoted into leadership roles without prior managerial experience. The company's toxic culture stems from the founders, who lack any empathy or people skills and foster a culture of fear. There is a strong culture of blame and internal politics. Public criticism in Slack channels and being ridiculed or shouted at during meetings over minor mistakes is commonplace. Managers are not aligned on their expectations so it is impossible to please them all, leading to confusion over priorities and leaving employees vulnerable to criticism regardless of their performance. Overall, Malaberg is a stressful and toxic place to work. If you value stability and your mental wellbeing, look elsewhere.

Some lovely people, keen to learn, good variety of job content, line manager was great coach who believed in us and gave us confidence to try new things. Top management was awful.

Toxic leadership, culture of fear to be fired - at random! (who fires 15 people/day without good reason?), unclear vision and goals, working in silos, no flexibility or hybrid working, clear favouritism within teams

The office is in a nice part of town, easy to get to and surrounded by good lunch spots. That’s honestly the only positive I can think of.

- Recognition is practically non-existent. You can work hard, deliver results, and still feel completely invisible. - The culture is tough—lots of micromanagement, unclear expectations, and constant stress. Office politics are everywhere. - There’s no real path for growth. Development feels random, and promotions are not based on performance. - Work-life balance? Not here. - Most of the work feels disconnected from anything meaningful. It’s hard to stay motivated when tasks seem pointless. - Communication is poor. Decisions are made without warning, and you often find out after the fact. - Processes are so tangled that even straightforward tasks like integrating Shopify, which should take weeks at most, end up dragging on for over half a year. The lack of clear ownership, constant shifting priorities, and endless back-and-forth make even the simplest initiatives feel like climbing a mountain blindfolded. It’s not just inefficient, it’s demoralising. - Turnover is a huge issue. In just a few months, more than 20 people left, including high performers who were well-paid and comfortable. Those who stayed mostly did so because the job market is tough and it's difficult to find a new position. - Decisions are made on the fly, with no HR involvement. One of the most shocking moments was when a senior retention employee who had been performing well for nearly two years, shared she needed surgery, and was let go a few days later under the excuse of a “team restructure” that never actually happened. Everyone was stunned. - Leadership keeps changing direction every few months. After a big restructuring presentation, nothing changed. It just added more confusion and chaos. Sending over my resignation letter was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It genuinely changed my life. The clarity, peace, and sense of self I’ve gained since leaving have been nothing short of transformative. Looking back, I realise I should have made this move much earlier, but I’m happy I finally did.

Friendly workplace culture. Supportive managers. Opportunities to learn different business functions. Stable working environment. Encourages learning and development.

Some tasks can be repetitive. Workload varies depending on projects. Limited remote flexibility.

Working with super smart people everyday Learning new things everyday Great pay and potential for a large bonus Central London location

Not much, Had a good experience

Working at Malaberg has been a genuinely positive experience. The company culture stands out for its openness and respect. Free speech is encouraged, and everyone’s opinion is valued. You’re not just a number here; you’re part of a team of good, understanding people who care about both the work and each other. One of the highlights is the leadership. The boss is approachable and genuinely friendly, making the work environment supportive rather than stressful. Communication is strong across the board, everyone is responsive and willing to help when needed. Pay is always on time, which shows a level of professionalism and respect for the team’s efforts. Overall, Malaberg offers a stable, respectful, and motivating environment where you can grow and feel heard.

Cross-Team Collaboration - Could be better Proactive Engagement - needs improving

Some genuinely friendly, supportive, and talented colleagues. Opportunities to learn quickly.

Employees are asked to write fake 5 star reviews to cover up the many, many bad ones. I would strongly caution anyone considering a role here. The work involves marketing products that lack robust scientific support, primarily to elderly customers, by preying on their fears of aging and health problems. The advertising relies on sensationalist, clickbait-style tactics that are both misleading and unethical. There is a pervasive culture of fear around job security. When an unexpected meeting with management or the founders appears on your calendar, the immediate assumption is that you are about to be fired. This is because staff turnover is exceptionally high, with employees frequently being terminated without genuine reason. This creates a constant cycle of firing and rehiring, resulting in projects and accounts regularly changing hands. Large-scale 'restructurings' are common, followed by company-wide meetings announcing major strategic changes, only for those changes to be reversed weeks later. The result is an environment of confusion, instability, and uncertainty. Many members of management are inexperienced, having been promoted into leadership roles without prior managerial experience. The company's toxic culture stems from the founders, who lack any empathy or people skills and foster a culture of fear. There is a strong culture of blame and internal politics. Public criticism in Slack channels and being ridiculed or shouted at during meetings over minor mistakes is commonplace. Managers are not aligned on their expectations so it is impossible to please them all, leading to confusion over priorities and leaving employees vulnerable to criticism regardless of their performance. Overall, Malaberg is a stressful and toxic place to work. If you value stability and your mental wellbeing, look elsewhere.

There are some genuinely good people throughout the business who are talented, hardworking, and supportive. Compensation is generally above average, which is likely one of the main reasons people stay as long as they do.

The environment can feel highly political and competitive, with individuals rewarded more for visibility than teamwork. Priorities shift regularly, direction is often unclear, and the overarching message increasingly feels like "do more with less." Pay is decent, but salaries are not paid at the start of the month, so new employees should be prepared for that reality. Staff turnover is noticeably high, and periodic rounds of cuts create an atmosphere where job security can feel secondary to short-term cost reduction. Employees can often feel interchangeable rather than valued, with experience and institutional knowledge regularly walking out the door only to be replaced by a constant influx of new hires. The result is an organisation that struggles to retain expertise while continually expecting more from those who remain.

The people at Malaberg are friendly and hard-working. The office is in a good location, the working hours are decent, 9 to 5 with a full hour break. But honestly, that’s the only good part.

The company appears to prioritise sales over product quality. For example, one of its supplement brands is marketed heavily to older consumers, and the advertising approach may feel aggressive or misleading to some. Copywriters are often directed to focus solely on driving sales, which can raise ethical questions depending on personal values. Management tends to favour certain individuals, and advancement opportunities may feel limited for others. Management team is very young and sometimes lacks the experience needed to make informed decisions, which can affect team dynamics and project outcomes. Employee turnover is noticeably high, with frequent departures and limited transparency around redundancies or dismissals. While some reviews online are positive, it's worth approaching them with a critical eye, as all are written by employees who were asked to write them by leadership members. Overall, candidates should carefully consider whether the company’s culture and values align with their own before applying.