American Cancer Society Reviews

Pros

You only work 7 hours a day

Cons

The pay is very low.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't bad mouth your team members to other team members

Pros

good benefits
proud of what you do

Cons

If volunteers do not come through with their committments it leaves you with extra work or unmet goals. Lots of instructions from various departments to field staff, no one sees how much requirements there are. They don't realize the hours. LOTS of hours, evenings, and weekends. I specifically asked how many evenings and weekends you work because I was leaving a higher paying job to get out of those. I was lied to . Lower management in my experience is not good, lies to her supervisors. The company takes advantage of salaried personnal this much. Management gives you a seminar on work life balance every couple of years. The last one was by a manager that told us how her phone is off at 5pm everyday and she never takes her laptop home. The people in the room work 50+ hours a week, several evenings a week and that might get you a fair evaluation. Their policy is that NOONE gets the top level evaluation because there is always more potential.

Advice to Senior Management

Spend a week in your field staff shoes. Not just one day.

Pros

Allow creativity and encourage creativity when building relationships, new initiatives in targeted communities, and very supportive of event and program volunteers for cancer patients. The drive to keep doing the work we do, is because of the cancer patients and caregivers, and the work means something to each and every one of us. The state level area directors are incredibly supportive of the field and admin staff-never had such support prior to this organization. They encourage volunteers to grow and in many cases leads to employment opportunities.

Cons

Input is asked for from NHO, Division Senior Leadership, and state level Executive Leadership but when the process or plan is announced, the input was null and void. The input of those the decisions directly impact on the field level and the patients/caregivers are not strongly considered, they say they do, but don't. I think many organizations see this as a turn-off, but in the end-it really is about the impact we make the lives we save and change.

Advice to Senior Management

To the NHO and SAD Senior Leadership, visit on the local level other than in Atlanta. Come see how each location's demographics vary, as well as the diversity of the staff and who they are. Undercover Boss might be a method to try out.

Pros

Great coworkers. Very dedicated to the cause. Great volunteers. Great opportunity to interact with healthcare providers and with ACOS cancer centers.

Cons

Some very incompetent managers. Program staff treated like stepchildren. Program focus changed every two years. Confusing to staff and volunteers.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to the field staff. They know what is happening at the local level and can provide timely feedback. Understand how important it is to work with existing volunteers since it is difficult to recruit new volunteers.

Pros

Great Volunteers
Flexible Schedule
Great benefits/time off (when you can find time to take it)
Ability to work in community
Feel good about your job and cause you are supporting

Cons

50-80 hour work week
Unqualified management
No potential for upward mobility
Lack of training - for all staff, volunteers, and management
Little to no recognition for staff

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to the field staff - ask them what is really happening in their offices and make sure they are able to speak freely without fear of retaliation from middle management

Pros

Saving Lives
Working to Find a Cure
Benefits - Medical, Dental and Vision
Helping Survivors and Caregivers
Enabling others to Fight Back
Being a part of the Solution

Cons

No Work-Life Balance
55-80 hours a week every week
High Turnover Rate
Limited Supervisory Support
Lack of New Employee Training

Advice to Senior Management

Cutting back on costs so more money can be put toward the Cure is good, but there does come a time when cutting back becomes too much. Our American Cancer Society is at that point. When workers are having to work 55-80 hours a week every week you are going to have a high burnout rate and as a result a high turnover rate. How can we expect our communities to build a relationship with us if they are getting a new Community Manager every 6 months to a year and when there is no ACS-Community relationship you see a decline in funds raised, active participation and trust in our organization. People begin to see us as an organization only concerned about money and that couldn't be further from the truth. Open your eyes, we have a great Mission and with the right number of caring employees in our communities there is no goal our American Cancer Society cant's reach.

Pros

Amazing connection to the mission, unbelievably dedicated and sharp senior leadership. If you know how to work well with volunteers, there is no limit to what you can accomplish at ACS.

Cons

Sometimes the strong committment of staff and leadership leads to a poor work life balance. Working with volunteers means you have to be available nights and weekends, and they seem to add up. If you're not interested in working with volunteers, you will not be successful at ACS.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep up the good work listening to your staff, and help them try to find a better work life balance.

Pros

Offers great programs for cancer patients and their families, it can be rewarding to feel like you are working for a good cause.

Cons

Negative environment that is very hierarchal, very title driven culture, lots if inflated titles and salaries, promotions are given based on who you know not what you know, hard for minorities to advance in organization, most minorities are in support level positions, incompetent supervisors/managers that are self promoting and egotistical, lack of accountability for people managers.

Advice to Senior Management

People managers should be help accountable and rewarded based on how well they manage their staff and represent the organization's core values internally. Ongoing diversity and sensitivity training should be manadatory for all staff.

Pros

Medical benefits, paid time off, holidays, flexible work schedule (although there is no clear discription of this and will vary depending on your manager), solid mission statement, if you have the opportunity to work with patients you can achieve sense of fulfillment and meaning in your work

Cons

-Low morale
-Empty initiative regarding employee engagement survey, minimal or no action taken on results
-favortism
-organization does not deal effectively with poor performers
-incompetent managers who do not inspire one's best work, are disrespectful to their direct reports, and are lacking in the ability to deliver clear and regular feedback on performance
-lack of recognition is widespread
-secretive leadership; completely lacking in open and honest communication with employees
-unresponsive to changes in the business environment resulting in unrealistic goals set on individual work plans
-difficulty retaining high level/productive employees due to hostile work environments in certain divsional/regional offices
-in some instances, poor treatment of volunteers

Advice to Senior Management

-Treat all employees and volunteers with respect
-Deliver recognition to individuals
-Inform employees of changes to policies, procedures, and programs with honest explanations and in a timely manner
-Create more development opportunities for employees
-communication, sensitivity, and leadership training mandatory for all managers
-provide employees with clear and promising direction to improve low morale
-demonstrate work/life balance

Pros

Ability to help others and actually see how you are contributing
Patients
Family environment
Job is time consuming and volunteers can be a handful

Cons

Pay is lacking
Mostly women
No upward mobility

Advice to Senior Management

Appreciate employees more with more incentives and benefits maybe then you will have less of a turnover rate. Also try to get some men in to help the cause.