Badoo’s Party Culture Is A Risky Recruitment Tool, Says New Bloomberg Article

London-based Badoo’s party culture reputation has come under the spotlight with a new article in Bloomberg.

The article, entitled “At London’s Badoo, Job Perks Include Pole Dancers and Sushi Served on Models”, speaks about how Badoo uses its regular office parties – formerly weekly, now monthly – as a recruitment tool.

Recruiters and former employees speaking to Bloomberg say the dating app’s parties and reputation has helped it to tempt candidates away from working for companies like Google and Facebook.

But without taking into account the cost of the parties – the Christmas party costing $385,000, regular parties up to $45,000 – the tone of the gatherings has apparently caused some employees to leave the 400-strong team.

According to Bloomberg: “A series of employees complained to human resources and several left Badoo last year because of the parties and Badoo’s broader workplace culture, according to six current and former employees.

“The complaints were pretty consistent, those people say: Badoo’s casual style could often be a plus, but its regularly sexualized office culture wasn’t what the departing workers said they’d signed up for.”

Badoo founder Andrey Andreev said the company hasn’t received any serious or official complaints, and said the parties were designed to reward staffers, saying: “Themes and entertainment are selected by our employees, both males and females, and based on their suggestions and feedback.”

The article also mentions Badoo’s relationship with Bumble, prompting founder Whitney Wolfe to say that despite having never attended one of the parties: “I can say, unequivocally, I would not be working for a frat house.”

Read the full article here.