WillowTree Reviews

Pros

Close your eyes and picture the coolest and most enjoyable place to work...this place is better. Here's why:

• The People: Working here initially can be intimidating because you are surrounded by such intelligent hard-working people. This makes for an unprecedented work environment that is challenging, stimulating, and rewarding all at the same time. Everyone is constantly pushing each other to become better. This is partly facilitated by the fact that everyone here is incredibly cool to be around. In an office full of people, I can't name one I dislike. I truly enjoy and care about the people I work with and for, and I believe that this is a shared sentiment throughout the office.

• The Opportunities: From a design perspective, working for a mid-sized company or with larger clients can mean getting shoved in a corner somewhere on a design team of god knows how many people where the work is so divided that you barely play a part in it. And the small sliver of work you do contribute may or may not even see the light of day (or screen). That is not the case here. You have an unparalleled opportunity to make an impact through design. Not only do you get to work with huge and exciting clients, but the teams are usually pretty small and agile. There is no excess of designers on one project, which means you have a sizable impact on the design direction for huge apps and websites—products that will be seen and used by thousands and potentially millions of people. In addition, the design team is relatively large and growing, so although you have a lot of autonomy on the project you're assigned to, you still have a team of awesome people to bounce ideas off of and get feedback from, which you’ll need because you may be asked to travel at some point to present your work to execs at a major, super cool client company. Literally the most ideal situation. How could you want more?

• Personal Growth: There is a mentoring program geared towards helping you grow in your role at the company. Your boss meets with you on a weekly basis to make sure everything is going well with you. They also dedicate 2 hours of work time a week to learning new things. They’re not afraid to invest in the betterment of their employees. Oh, and also, you get to choose a conference to attend once a year. And they pay for it. Ha, just wait. There’s more…

• They Actually Care: I have never met so many high-level people who truly care about the employees of the company, including the CEO himself. Company-wide meetings are held every other week to discuss the state of the company, recent wins for the company, welcome new employees, and openly answer questions or concerns. Recently, a huge company-wide survey/study was conducted to ensure that everyone was feeling included and good about working there. Like really? Is this a Disney movie? I could act surprised, but I’m not. Because this company is all about the surveys. Surveys about potential growth. Surveys about how you think the company should donate money. Surveys about how happy you are with the snacks they have in the office and what snacks you might like to see in the future. Surveys about what time works best for you for the company to rent a movie theater for the entire office to go see The Last Jedi. Like what? These are all real surveys, I’m not joking. That’s the level of caring that goes on here. And the CEO is constantly seeking feedback and input from all employees, and then (and here’s the kicker), he acts on it. I’ve witnessed multiple people (from many levels and departments) raise valid points and he then makes changes in response to it. And I don’t mean in like months…I mean days. Or even hours. Like really? Really?? Where else does this actually happen?

• Lavish Extras: Two paid lunches a week. State-of-the-art equipment and tools at your disposal. Snacks on snacks on snacks. You could probably survive off of all the snacks they have in the office. I haven’t tried it yet, but I bet you could. Bagels every Monday morning. Nitro brew on tap. Flexible hours: project teams set the core hours they will be in the office. Paid downtown parking. Fun company events. Happy hours every Friday complete with free alcohol and other beverages.

Advice to Management

Keep doing what you're doing...this is awesome!

Pros

1. Everyone who works here is awesome to be around. I spend 8 hours with them and then go hang out with them more after work because they're so awesome. Not only are they awesome but they also care a lot about their craft and take pride in what they work on.
2. You will learn a ton working here. Everyone is constantly trying to stay on top of new technology, discuss best practices, etc. People are very generous with their knowledge. There is also a big focus on mentorship to spread knowledge around.
3. Flexible hours, flat hierarchy, no micromanaging. Lots of trust and freedom are given which produces great results.
4. Lots of variety in terms of projects. Also, very big name clients which is cool.
5. Charlottesville and Durham are great cities.
6. Management is very approachable and tries very hard (successfully) to make it a fun and fulfilling place to work.

I could keep going

Pros

Amazing work culture with a strong focus on professional development. Flexible work hours and a lots of learning opportunities like Lunch and Learn, Innovation Time, and a paid conference once a year. Team lunch, Game Night, and Happy Hour every week are great opportunities to socialize and connect with coworkers. Good benefits and plenty of PTO. Great management and mentorship programs as well. All around a really great place to work!

Pros

The best thing about WillowTree is the energy in the space. I work among the most positive and talented people I have ever met. They inspire me to do my best work at all time. I don't ever feel like I'm solving a problem on my own.

Pros

- Friendly work environment
- Great mentorship program for new hires
- Open about what's currently happening in and around the company
- Good work life balance
- Plenty of opportunities for learning new things
- Even though it's my first full time job, I did not feel like I was being treated any differently from others on my team who had been there a while.

Advice to Management

Keep up with the mentorship programs, they really help people feel welcomed and a part of the company.

Pros

Being surrounded by smart people pushes myself to be the best I can be. Growth of the company creates opportunities for employees to advance.

Advice to Management

Keep the culture of WillowTree while it’s growing rapidly.

Pros

Money time off coworkers are great

Advice to Management

None

Pros

Since joining WillowTree in 2015, I've grown tremendously both personally and professionally. I came from a large, multi-national corporation where opportunities for growth were often blocked by bureaucracy and several levels of management. When I came to WillowTree I was able to take on more ownership and felt my work was making an impact. I've been exposed to many parts of the business and have grown so much. No matter your role or team, you have the opportunity to get involved with company-wide initiatives and push yourself beyond your day-to-day job responsibilities. To me, this is invaluable for my overall career trajectory. For example, I'm passionate about diversity and inclusion. WillowTree is the first company I've worked for to recognize the importance of creating a diverse and inclusive culture and actively seek ways to improve the workplace. They truly care about everyone's well-being and growth.

Other pro's:
-Fully paid annual conference (I got to go to Seattle + NYC for 2 conferences I've always wanted to attend, but couldn't justify the cost or PTO if done by choice)
-Fun company-wide events (annual company-wide summit, summer + holiday parties, Spirit Week)
-"Always be improving" mindset. This is the first company I've worked for that doesn't say, "That's just how we've always done it." Instead, they encourage you to put together a plan and execute if things are inefficient or no longer working.
-Health benefits (they pay for 100% of the premiums for team members)
-Flexible working hours (although they encourage being onsite for collaboration, I've never felt I couldn't take the time I needed to take care of myself)
-Weekly 1:1's (WillowTree doesn't do annual reviews, instead I meet with my manager weekly to get feedback and address issues in real-time)
-Exposure to new technologies and clients
-Sense of community (lots of team lunches, ERG's, ladies lunch, etc)
-Location (I love being in the heart of downtown Durham and being able to walk outside to grab lunch or coffee)
-Cold brew and kombucha on tap
-Core values (every day I try to apply them to my work. It pushes me to be a better person. I know it sounds cheesy, but I appreciate a company always pushing everyone in the company to be a better person for yourself and for others).

Advice to Management

As we continue to grow, keep soliciting feedback and listening. I'm grateful you're always asking for feedback and constantly evolving. Your flexibility and courage to change things if they aren't working is one of the reasons that WillowTree is one of the best places to work for!

Pros

Personal responsibility, management that listens.

Advice to Management

Continue to be open minded, but don't lose your connection to your workforce.

Pros

The leadership is dedicated to the happiness, success, and growth of every single employee. The teams are filled with kind, enthusiastic, and highly skilled individuals. Your growth is directly connected to your desires, goals, and dedication with actual mentors to who provide support, encouragement, and help you build a path to those goals.

WillowTree is a family focusing on open communication, actual autonomy, and champions the best idea no matter who it comes from. They care about employees and strive to train before every seeing a family member leave. However, they also understand that life is about doing what works for you and support fellow “trees” in their pursuit of happiness and experience.

WillowTree is by far the company so many other companies should seek to mimic. Which is fun because WillowTree has pulled together principles from so many other companies in diverse industries to create their core values.

Without a doubt this is the greatest company I have worked for!

Support - The company wants you to be happy. If you think you’d be happier in another role, they’ll help you out together a game plan to get there.

Benefits - Stocked Kitchens, 401K matching, competitive salaries, gym reimbursement, and so many more!

Clients - We work with some of the biggest names in almost every industry!

Leadership - The leadership team is hands down one of the greatest.

Teams - Highly skilled, intellectual, and efficient teams.

The list goes on! Just apply already!