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American Red Cross

Is this your company?

Biased with no love for employees - Disaster Program Manager American Red Cross Employee Review

2.0
Mar 7, 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

When first starting out in this organization, you feel like you are accomplishing something wonderful for humanity. The first 1-2 years are a nice illusion.

Cons

Employees are treated like they do not matter. Volunteers can run over you and bully you continuously without any reproach while you are asked "how have you engaged our wonderful volunteers today?" You quickly realize that, as a paid employee, you mean nothing to the organization and your opinions do not matter. Be prepared for no appreciation to be shown to you and to be allowed to be treated like dirt by the volunteers that run the organization in every way. The organization tries to tell you "it's a partnership" but there is no equality whatsoever. Burnout comes very swiftly for those that have to work at a semi lower level as those that are higher up "consult" with volunteers but are still allowed to have decision making abilities on their own. The organization gets in their own way all too often with their processes. Having to ask permission from the volunteers in a region before instilling something coming from NHQ but yet being told "you will do this" from NHQ is all too common. Employees are in a no win situation in this organization. There is no work life balance, so I would recommend not entering into a job unless you are single and don't care to have time off, ever. You are always on call and you are always expected to have your phone on and emails being read. The organization also claims to be unbiased but will tell you how you should think and even vote (yes vote!) when given the chance. They do not appreciate anyone with a different view on life from themselves and can't be unbiased on anything, they will always take sides and try to force you to stand with them. Unless you are willing to move to a different State/Region, you have to wait for upper-levels to leave in order to promote. By the time you would get there, you most likely will already be burnt out.

Explore other reviews about American Red Cross

5.0
Apr 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

My experience working with the Red Cross has been great. The work is fulfilling and the people are passionate. Benefits are good - Kaiser is $6 a month!

Cons

There is work life balance, but there is an expectation to work nights and weekends.

3.0
Jul 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-Meaningful, mission-driven work that makes a real impact in people's lives during times of crisis. -Flexible remote work when not actively responding to disasters. -Volunteers are the heart of the organization. Many are passionate, dedicated, and genuinely enjoyable to work with. -Building strong relationships with volunteers creates an incredible support system. Many go above and beyond to help staff because they recognize the workload and truly care about the mission. -Unique opportunities to gain experience in disaster response, emergency management, crisis management, leadership, and volunteer management. -Deployment opportunities that provide exceptional professional and personal growth. -Every day is different, offering a wide variety of experiences and continuous learning. -Strong sense of teamwork and camaraderie during disaster operations.

Cons

-Inconsistent accountability for poor leadership and management behaviors. -Toxic relationship dynamics that overlook behaviors. -High burnout and chronic turnover; many employees do not remain beyond two years. -Unsustainable workload paired with unrealistic expectations. -Leadership often prioritizes metrics over employee well-being and long-term program sustainability. -Staff are frequently expected to fill operational gaps caused by declining volunteer capacity instead of receiving additional staffing support. -On-call responsibilities can feel like being available 24/7. Even when not officially on call, staff often receive calls from volunteers needing guidance, assistance finding disaster responders, or language support. -Employees who speak a second language are frequently relied upon across multiple territories for translation assistance without corresponding workload adjustments. Although translation services exist, using them is often discouraged, placing additional burden on bilingual staff. -PTO can be difficult to fully utilize because work continues to accumulate and responsibilities often remain waiting upon return. -Compensation does not reflect the workload, level of responsibility, or work-life sacrifices expected. Salaried employees often work well beyond 40 hours without additional compensation. - Recognition and incentives appear to be uneven across departments, while frontline disaster relief staff often carry significant operational demands with limited comparable rewards. -Diversity is more visible in entry-level and lower management roles than in senior leadership.

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