The Y (YMCA) reviews

3.8

70% would recommend to a friend

(21,964 total reviews)

Suzanne McCormick

77% approve of CEO

58% positive business outlook

The Y (YMCA) has an employee rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars, based on 21,964 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The The Y (YMCA) employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Nonprofit & NGO industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

22K reviews
1.0
Jan 25, 2018

A joke that isn't funny.

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You will see how the y really does care about the community despite its incredible ability to no care about the people who make it happen...

Cons

Oh wow.... I was going to become one of their personal training staff. Or so i thought. I show up for this workshop that they sell to prospectives. 95 bucks. I thought why not? Shelled out for school and an NASM certification so why not? Ill learn about their way of doing things, maybe some new ways to ply my trade etc... Learned almost nothing. Except for the impact they do make in the community. I also learned that they would rather have a proven personal trainer work part time as a desk clerk or floor associate. No full time jobs. If they offer you full time and it isnt a managerial position, dont believe them. Just ask someone who works there how much they care about people that work there. I of course turned the job down, but was willing to work two part time positions with two branches. No dice.

4.0
Oct 31, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

1. Some Y Associations have decently competitive benefits including: subsidized health insurance, optional 403b, Y Pension, and possible education funding. As a young professional, I especially appreciate the retirement saving support. 2. The Y Mission is becoming increasingly inclusive and their goals (Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility) are worth supporting. The Y is partnering with other organizations (the National Inclusion Project) to broaden the communities it serves. It's good to see an organization evolve. 3. Diverse opportunities for professionals of all skills and specialties: finance, development, marketing, operations, facilities, education, fitness, camping, etc. 4. The "community" of a good Y Association can really be uplifting. It's easy to go unnoticed if you choose, to keep your head down and do your work or your exercises; but it's even easier to form attachments and become invested in the stakeholder community (members, guests, staff, partners, etc.). I see staff and members workout together, become friends, inquire about each others' families, and share triumphs or worries in the community.

Cons

1. Employees are often used as stop-gaps, with folks filling in when employees quit or switch departments. This may be standard practice in other organizations or nonprofits, but it contributes to poorer quality programs and service. 2. Additionally, a good number of entry level jobs are two or three jobs merged into one--a school-year job plus a summer-camp job, or a membership and an arts job. Broad experience is great, but again, we sacrifice quality when we fail to: a) hire good people, b) hire for thoughtful positions, and c) invest in those people once hired. 3. The "Y Movement" tries to standardize YMCAs (policies, processes, approaches, etc.)--the issue being the Y isn't Planet Fitness, and Ys needs to have the freedom to be different and function differently from each other to meet the needs of their unique communities. 4. Maternity/paternity leave is borderline insulting for a community nonprofit like the Y. Employees are frequently asked to "volunteer" time, to stretch themselves thin in order to serve others, and to care for the "Y Community" at their own expense. The YMCA of the USA should make the same effort to care for its employees by offering more comprehensive and empathetic parental leave options. Federal Law is 12 weeks unpaid. Working for a nonprofit, with added medical and new childcare expenses, plus the physical recovery time and childcare expenses after returning to work--12 weeks unpaid is ludicrous.

1.0
Sep 1, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Relationship building, easy promotion (turnover rate is very high), great benefits

Cons

Impossible to manage work/life balance (you will have no days off, ever), lack of team work, impossible quotas, expendable employee, obsolete equipment (everything is broken)

Viewing 19 - 21 of 21,964 Reviews

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