American Chemical Society Reviews

Pros

Allowed me to work as a full-time 1099 employee for many years. They are very people-oriented and offered a flexible work schedule.

Cons

Non-profit organization, so the pay raises were minimal, barely keeping up with the cost of living.

Advice to Senior Management

They should communicate more often when restructuring business units, especially when jobs are at stake.

Pros

Benefits are great and salary compensation is fair. There is a large cultural divide across the different divisions so it largely depends on exactly where you work.

Cons

Sometimes the publications division is too focused on money to the detriment of employee relations.

Pros

ACS is a dynamic organization and there are many new learning opportunities. ACS highly values it's staff.

Cons

It's a non-profit, so it is not as sophisticated in terms of best business practices. However, the Executive Director has provided tremendous leadership, and ACS is miles further than it was before she took the reins. She has provided strong strategic direction, works well collaboratively, is passionate and dedicated to the success of the chemical enterprise, and is always focused on the value of people (members, volunteers, governance, staff, etc.).

Advice to Senior Management

Send your senior managers to some business training and give them some career rotations in some for-profit companies (some member companies).

Pros

Long-term employee benefits for retirement compensation. Opportunities for staff for training, professional growth, social interaction; and company involvement with community activities.

Cons

Superior, condescending attitude toward lesser or non-degreed staff members which creates a demoralizing class system within the organizaton leading to disenfranchised employees.

Advice to Senior Management

Work with directors and supervisors to create a more team based environment to encourage staff (non-manager, supervior) to create a cohesive atmosphere for idea exchange and to encourage new concepts and thought processes.

Pros

Work Life Balance is great.

Cons

Limited Career Development. It is best to learn and then leave.

Advice to Senior Management

They will not used it, so why waste the time. They know the problems.

Pros

It's a stable place to be while the economy tanks. Benefits are good. Work-life balance is achievable. Initial compensation is competitive. Central Washington DC location is within reach of a multitude of commute options.

Cons

Salary increases are laughable. They absolutely do not keep pace with cost increases in the Washington DC area. They are driven by governance, which ties the hands of managers. Internal advancement is extremely difficult to achieve. few opportunities, and they they prefer outside candidates. Job title inflation is rampant, as a result. you get a new title, but not a shift in the org chart. Organizational thinking and management approaches are neolithic and fear-based. Never worked somewhere where "how do i avoid making waves" is the key to success. Cronyism. Silos. Poor communication. Buffoonish senior managers.

Advice to Senior Management

Learn that leadership is more than talking about it. It needs to be modeled. it needs to LEAD. ACS spends a lot of money on "feel-good" projects like te green roof, waterless urinals, and required HR training, showing leadershp in money-spending, but it doesn't have the money for merit-based salary increases or a real bonus structure. It spends enormous sums on meetings with little accountibility. god forbid that ACS should be held to task by members. While the CEO talks about all the right things, her Directors are pathetic. She is expects them to implement, and few of them are capable. Membership (fear) and IT (bufoonery) are the worst. the organizaiton needs a fresh outlook and new blood. Get rid of the dinosaurs and the "i can't make a change because it might make a wave" thinking.

Pros

easygoing. flexible. open door policy. good mix of technical and non-technical staff

Cons

full of cliques. difficult to ensure accountability. poor job fit.

Pros

The benefits are very good.

Cons

There are some really loose cannons who don't respect others. There are too many long term employees who aren't really qualified.

Advice to Senior Management

Get a financial reward system that rewards good performance.

Pros

Great benefits, especially 401 K contribution, Fitness reimbursment, and tuition reimbursment up to $5,500 per year.

Cons

No accountablity for management. Promotions are withheld and given on a whim and not for the right reasons.

Advice to Senior Management

Fairness in the promotion process is much needed.

Pros

Good Benefits
Nice coworkers
Helps you keep current in Scientific literature
Fair life work balance
Mission Driven
Non Profit Organization

Cons

Management Slant Information
Questions if management believe in mission
Production shop mentality
Issues with communication across divsions
ACS-CAS relationship
Morale

Advice to Senior Management

What is the true mission and vision of the organization? Look deeper into the CAS-ACS relationship, what can both groups do for Science together.