DESC reviews

2.9

45% would recommend to a friend

(169 total reviews)
avatar

Daniel Malone

52% approve of CEO

45% positive business outlook

DESC has an employee rating of 2.9 out of 5 stars, based on 169 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an average working experience there. The DESC employee rating is 22% below average for employers within the Nonprofit & NGO industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

169 reviews
2.0
Oct 8, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

This work is crucial and very hard and DESC steps up to do the work that needs to be done. They truly are a housing first model and go to great lengths to help clients. They offer very generous PTO, or at least they used to.

Cons

It's dangerous work. Let me be clear, people experiencing a mental health conditions are not any more dangerous/violent than the general population (statistically), but having so many people that are in crisis/experiencing psychosis/using drugs and alcohol means that there are some scary events. You are expected to put up with a lot of verbal abuse (and in some cases physical abuse). The people with the most difficult jobs on the front lines (Residential Counselors) tend to have the least training/education. It's just really, really hard work.

4.0
Jan 11, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Overall I'm VERY proud to have worked at DESC. It's not a perfect organization but it serves the most vulnerable and marginalized members of the community, has a widespread positive impact, and is the LEADER in the region for many reasons. 1. The clientele! Working here is challenging but extremely gratifying and the client you serve will touch your heart. 2. Represented by SEIU Union! Union reps have fought hard to earn non-managerial DESC staff better wages, better benefits, and overall protection. Because of the Union we are able to keep management accountable and uphold the values of equity, justice, and integrity. 3. Plenty of opportunity for career development, growth, mentorship, on-going training, upward mobility on the "social work ladder." I feel lucky to have ended up on a strong team where I felt supported and appreciated.

Cons

The HR department is sour. It's laughable/frustrating how all the voicemails I left went ignored when I needed them to do relatively simple job tasks. Never any follow-up unless you go knock on their door and track them down. I'm very bitter about the laziness, apathy and unprofessionalism. Why? 1. Went a couple months without medical and dental benefits (which I had earned and was eligible for) because one of them put in my SSN off by one digit to the providers. I had to fix the whole thing and jump through hoops to correct their mistake. 2. Had to hold their hand to get my W9 during tax season. Asked again and again for my W9 and was very late to get it. 3. Didn't get any of my PTO paid out when I left. They require a FOUR WEEK notice (which is unheard of at virtually any other company.. anything over 2 weeks notice is courtesy.) I had 17 hrs left on the table when I left, which is just frustrating on principle because I gave them over 3 weeks notice, not to mention my supervisors and project manager had well over a month of informal notice that I was leaving... and in my final 3 weeks I elected to work a bunch of 9 hour days to tie up all lose ends. Employees earn that PTO and DESC needs to stop being so cheap about that. 4. No exit interview!? Called them and left voicemails asking for some follow-up and they never had the decency to call me back. On my last day of work, I found out they misfiled documentation on my insurance, so even though I was insured for the remainder of the month, I wasn't covered for prescriptions. Premara said that this looked like a clear mistake, one easy to fix, and to contact HR so they could resolve it. But HR never returned my calls (shocking).

2.0
Mar 20, 2019

Great job, management is evil

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The job itself is wonderful. It’s really hard but the clients are great. Even when they are being difficult. It’s a profound experience to do this work and rewarding unto itself.

Cons

Upper and middle management employs antiquated autocratic opinions that were proven to kill morale and motivation as early as 1937. There is a derisive attitude towards “boots on the ground”. This results in a pervasive Groupthink and the resultant extremely poor choices for Program Managers. The result is a toxic work environment on top of work that can be stressful on its own merits. There are PMs who use administrative grievances to attack and harass some employees in a bully like manner. This behaviour is encouraged at the top. It’s a “keep them in their place “, attitude. The tragic mindset of management ruins what would otherwise be wonderful work.

Viewing 13 - 15 of 169 Reviews

Glassdoor has 178 DESC reviews submitted anonymously by DESC employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if DESC is right for you.