Pros

Sense of humanitarian mission. Contact with many caring and compassionate people. Ability to respond quickly with assistance for those in need without "eligibility filters"

Cons

-Truly an "army" characterized by rank and blind obedience.
- Widespread distain and disrespect for staff who are not officers of TSA.
- Individual initiative is discouraged-even punished.
- Intense focus on public fundraising and raising money but internal inefficiencies overlooked.
- Up-to-date management skills and practices sorely lacking. Salvation Army officers and members are internally schooled in religiously focused academies; few to none receive outside schooling or have a college education. Strong internal network of interlocking families; TSA operates as a closed religious community within modern society.
- Random rotations occur yearly, disrupting continuity and relationships in local offices.
- "Regular" (secular) staff not pressured to be "religious", but you will always be an "outsider" no matter how skilled or professional you are.
- Recognized as "spiritual counselors" but overall, officers have no knowledge or awareness of valid psychological or counseling skills; focus is on "bringing people to Jesus." Good for insecure people who want a strict dictated sense of "belonging."
- Within a small defined role, can provide much meaningful support to individuals and groups in need, but will eventually hit up against hypocrisy, lack of respect, and internal ineffectiveness of "the Army way."

Advice to Senior Management

Modernize.

Pros

I think many of the leaders (officers) truly care about the folks that work at The Salvation Army. Most of the folks do it out of a sense of calling.

Cons

It is a large organization, and sometimes the personal touch is missing. Also, the people you meet have VERY strong opinions, either good or bad.

Advice to Senior Management

Just remember whose you are and why you do what you do. Take complaints seriously, give praise where it is deserved, and rebuke where it is deserved.

Pros

I work in The Salvation Army because I believe in the basic premise of the Army. Helping people when needed, and providing income for our Family Service programs.

Cons

Sometimes we get individuals who are not qualified, or show preference to other employees based on friendship rather than being professional about the issues.

Advice to Senior Management

Be careful to treat all employees fairly, not preferring one over another because they are friends of yours, or worse related.

Pros

You sometimes meet interesting people while working on the cash register. Generally don't have time to stand around and be bored.

Cons

Managers who schedule you to work when they know you're scheduled at your other job and then write you up for not being there. Managers who are inexperienced and don't know how to deal with people, don't know how to manage within State and Federal laws and aren't willing to listen to suggestions. Low pay and NO raises, no unemployment if let go or laid off because they're a 501(c) organization. Medical insurance is adequate but somewhat biased toward men--i.e. pays for cervical cancer screening once every three years but prostate screen is covered every year.

Employees are expected to put out same number of pieces of clothing per week whether they have the stock in the store to do those numbers or not, or regardless of whether or not there is room on the racks to hang that many pieces. Employees are written up and/or fired if it numbers aren't met and that threat is ALWAYS hanging over everyone's heads. Very stressful work environment that really doesn't need to be. A few small changes could relieve a lot of the stress and wouldn't be that difficult to implement if management were willing to listen.

No air conditioning in the store because Senior management says it's not needed--was 83 degrees outside today and 92 degrees inside the front part of store. What's July/August going to be like? No public bathrooms because Senior management says we don't need them. Tired of cleaning urine from the sales floor--the store employees don't get paid enough to deal with potentially hazardous bodily waste.

Advice to Senior Management

Your employees are human beings. Try showing some compassion and treating them as such. Not all of us are in your alcohol/drug abuse/ex-con programs--I've never touched the stuff and never been arrested for anything and resent being treated as if I'm some sort of subhuman moron because I work for you. I wouldn't be working for you if we didn't have a 15.6% unemployment rate and I could find anything else.
Educate your managers on the laws. Even 501(c) orgs. are not above State and Federal labor laws. If an employee's Dr. says they need an accommodation for a medical condition that the IL Supreme Court has, in previous cases, ruled is a reasonable accommodation for the position the employee holds, then it needs to be followed. The manager handing the Dr.'s note back and implying that the employee will no longer have a job if they expect the accommodation to be followed is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Pros

the benefits package is the best

Cons

If you are not a Salvationist, you're screwed!

Advice to Senior Management

Stop believing you are all Gods, and be kind and considerate of your employees who do not belong to your organization! Above all, PLEASE stop yelling and making life hard for your employees. They are people, and better than most of your ministers.
I wish the hierchy of The Salvation Army would err on the side of their employees as far as believing them once in a while!

Pros

As a Christian, it allows me to express my personal faith in relevant and appropriate ways to those around me. There are no obligations to do so, and it is never done inappropriately, but this element makes it very fulfilling to me.

Cons

Don't work here for the salary - but the other benefits are amazing!

Advice to Senior Management

Find more ways to affirm and recognize those who work hard for you!

Pros

Giving back to the community..bieng a part of an organization that gives to those in dire straits..seeing the frowns turn to smiles...seeing the frustration turn to satisfaction...seeing tears from despair change to tears from laughter!.....doing the most good!

Cons

Staff who complain about salary, benifits, recognition, about managment,.....if your gonna complain about such go work for a place where you can compete with your fellow co-worker to get a promotion or to get that pat on the back that you so desprately need !....There are volunteers who join and pour huge amount of hours in to the salvation army and could care less about such things....i'm upset to see bad reviews from other cities as for our site we are like family... well good days bad days just like a regular family... i'm not that relegious but i have a huge heart and helping people is my drug..... still rewarding for the heart atleast mine. :)

Advice to Senior Management

Dont let bad reviews get to you...nobody's perfect

Pros

The Salvation Army has a great mission, a worthwhile mission and that's what keeps most of us going.

Cons

Where to start... there are very limited opportunities for professional growth and advancement. Salary is not competitive and minimal employee recognition programs.

Advice to Senior Management

Employees make this organization work.. listen to their concerns.

Pros

For quick money, not ever a career. If you were brand new out of college, needed a job, sure, go ahead and get some experience. But don't stay there long, as they will use and abuse you. Nothing is good about the place, other than they always have money, that unsuspecting people donate to them. They don't use the money for it's intended purpose, nor do they feel any remorse for using it for their houses, their cars, their laptops, their cell phones, their utilities, their food, their kids' needs, their complete costs- and you thought they were just "poor" ministers?

Cons

Incompetent ministers put in charge, switched every few years, church people given preferences over other more
competent persons. Poor pay, no recognition of talent or any advancement. Poor moral there. They take really ignorant people that are generally failures in real life, give them a quick education and call them ministers, ready to change the world. They are then thrust into management positions, where they supervise large budgets of cash donations, and numerous employees. They are not qualified to do either. Worse, no one supervises the management, so they can run wild and destroy everything that's done, or worse yet, do nothing, which most are really good at.

Advice to Senior Management

Ministers: Go away, hire someone to run the organization competently.

Pros

This is not a job for those wanting advancement or prestige. The main fulfillment in my job does not come from a pride in the Salvation Army, but in the impact that I am making everyday in the lives of our youth.

Cons

There is little training. We hire college students and tell them to minister to the kids, but I am often left wondering how to handle certain situations with little support from upper management.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop moving "Majors" every few years, it is not beneficial for anybody. We had new Majors over a year ago and the building is still in confusion.