Struggles with frequent turnover and transition which impacts staff wellbeing
Pros
Some of the nicest, friendliest people in the world work at United Way of New York City. Most folks are mission-minded with a genuine desire to help solve City affordability issues. There are some fun perks that come with belonging to an organization that works closely with corporate partners, such as freebies and occasional treats for staff. The hybrid work schedule (as of 2022) can be helpful for those who prefer not to commute 5 days per week. UWNYC belongs to LifeMart and gets the company perks program, so staff can get discounts for a wide range of commonly used items like travel, entertainment, electronics, shopping, etc. Office location is steps away from Grand Central Station and just a few blocks from the Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd street making it easy to get to. Summer Fridays, surprise bonus long weekends around holidays, and extra time off during the Summer for all staff are all great perks considering how hard everyone works.
Cons
A long standing issue with trying to figure out what the organization does and who they serve creates frequent problems with turnover and periodic restructurings. Folks who should not be in leadership are in management roles (often for many years) and some of them should NOT have direct reports. There is a strong lack of effective communication between leadership and mid-level and lower-level staff. There is virtually no real communication between the operations side and the program side of the organization, leading to much confusion and frustration. Lots of favoritism exists as certain folks (with no remarkable skills) will quickly accelerate with promotions while other talented staff will sit in the same positions for years. There is no structure for development. Pay scale is well below market rate, and you will be tricked into taking a lower salary than your position pay grade offers at time of hire. Deadlines and time frames are not respected, so there will be lots of after-hours and last minute scrambling to get work done (don't bother making dinner and weekend plans). Diversity and Inclusion is a priority, but only for certain marginalized groups, not all marginalized groups. Should you belong to a marginalized group that doesn't fit with organizational focus, don't advocate for inclusion under the DEI umbrella as you may not receive a warm welcome.
