Companies Handshake

Handshake

San Francisco

Total Offices: 5

700 Total Employees

Year Founded: 2014

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Handshake Compensation & Benefits

Updated on September 08, 2026

This page summarizes recurring themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Handshake and has not been reviewed or approved by Handshake.

How are the compensation & benefits at Handshake?

Strengths in time off, parental support, and core healthcare are accompanied by challenges in sales incentive reliability, retirement match generosity, and payment clarity for contractor programs. Together, these dynamics suggest a benefits-forward package with compensation experiences that vary by function and employment type.

Key Insight for Candidates

Defining tradeoff: Handshake prioritizes rest and development (unlimited PTO, two annual companywide shutdown weeks, robust parental leave, early sabbatical, $2k learning stipend) while offering a relatively light 401(k) match. This tilts total rewards toward time off and growth—ideal if you value flexibility, less so if you prioritize retirement contributions.

Evidence in Action

Collective Time Off Weeks — Collective Time Off weeks deliver two companywide shutdown weeks—one in July and one in December. This synchronized downtime normalizes real rest, reduces coordination overhead, and helps teams return aligned without backlog anxiety.
ERG Leader Stipends — Paid community‑leader bonuses provide $1,500 quarterly to Employee Resource Group leads. This formal reward recognizes inclusion labor, sustaining programming and boosting belonging, which improves engagement and retention.

Positive Themes About Handshake

Leave & Time Off Breadth: Time-off practices include flexible/unlimited PTO, companywide recharge weeks in summer and winter, plus additional volunteer and personal holiday time. Feedback suggests sabbaticals and coordinated breaks help people actually use rest time.
Parental & Family Support: Parental leave is described as extended for primary and secondary caregivers, and family-oriented policies are highlighted. Fertility and family-support resources are referenced in public materials.
Healthcare Strength: Core coverage spans medical, dental, and vision, with added mental-health resources and wellness programming. Feedback suggests these supports contribute meaningfully to overall wellbeing.

Considerations About Handshake

Weak & Unreliable Incentives: Sales compensation experiences are shaped by plan structure and quota attainability, with realized earnings varying meaningfully from targets. Feedback suggests incentive design and shifting targets can make outcomes feel unpredictable.
Inadequate Retirement Support: Retirement benefits include a 401(k) plan, but the employer match is portrayed as relatively modest. This can reduce the perceived long-term value of the total rewards package.
Unfair & Opaque Compensation: Contractors in AI-focused programs describe volatile workloads, disputed task reviews, and payment timing concerns that affect pay confidence. Feedback suggests removals or suspensions around payout cycles and strict quality enforcement can create uncertainty about earnings.

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These insights are generated using AI and may not reflect internal data or verified company information. They are intended solely for general informational purposes and should not be considered a definitive assessment of the company’s reputation. If you are a representative of this company, and would like this page to be removed, you may contact us via this form.