American Red Cross Employee Reviews about "making a difference"

Pros

You are really doing some truly great work that makes a difference in people's lives. Laid back atmosphere, ability to work from home.

Cons

Not a lot of supervision as managers work from home also. No real growth or personal development potential. You are essentially just a volunteer.

Pros

The mission of the organization inspires and gives you a sense that your job matters and you are making a difference. Depending on what department you work for, you may be able to work virtual one or more days a week. Used to offer a great Pension Plan benefit that was discontinued.

Cons

These cons are specific to the IT department in Headquarters and may not be applicable in other areas of the organization: 1. Organization spends no money in providing technical training to its employees. 2. Working virtual and or on a flexible schedule depended on who your boss was and how he or she felt about it. The criteria for working virtual and or a flexible schedule is not applied consistently. 3. The organization is consumed with internal IT politics and since the organization performs reductions in force practically every year, this creates the perfect opportunity for an unscrupulous manager to manipulate a good employee out of the organization without regard to his/her performance. Also it creates a situation where it is easy to intimidate and manipulate people by fear. 4. Internal processes make opportunities for advancement rare and difficult. In order to promote an employee (i.e. from Programmer I to Programmer II) , It is necessary to create a new position, which requires plenty of justifications and red tape. Then the position is open for internal applicants to apply, including the person you want to promote. After all that effort, you are lucky if the end-result is a promotion for the person that earned it and that you are trying to promote. 5. Employees and contractors are often asked to be on 24 hour production support on weekends and week nights without any additional compensation or reward. There are departments where there is no consideration for a balanced life. 6. Raises are very low.

Pros

Great mission; dedicated and caring people who enjoy making a difference.

Cons

Decreasing blood usage which is good for patients, but causes decreased collections; strains budget forcing layoffs. "right -sizing"

Pros

You can really make a difference and everyone is very friendly. You'll find people who really care about making a difference in their community, and it's a good networking opportunity. You'll know your job makes a difference.

Cons

The Red Cross is bleeding money, and is attempting to fix the problem in all the wrong ways. They recently laid off all of their instructors so they could hire *some* of them back as part-time workers without benefits.

Pros

Donors, incredible individuals who volunteer their time to make a huge impact on someone's life. Meeting the hospital needs! The self gratification of going home after a long day knowing that I make a difference. I am personable, efficient and confidant while following strictly enforced guidelines. I want every donor understand what a 'HERO' they are!

Cons

Due to the constant need of the blood supply, the schedules can be challenging. We work early mornings for highschool and business sponsored drives, and still having our community drives that are late afternoon and early evening. Impossible for consistant hours which does not allow or promote higher education.

Pros

The feeling that you are contributing an organization that makes a difference in people's lives. The importance of the goal of providing safe and available blood for patients. Reasonably good compensation.

Cons

There have been numerous Reductions in Force both inside my department and around the company. There is a looming budget deficit that will probably mean yet more layoffs. Morale is low and uncertainty high.

Pros

The mission of the Red Cross is one you can sink your teeth into and believe you are making a difference

Cons

Things change at a drop of a hat with no reason other than a "good idea"

Pros

Nice Co-worker. Most people there do what to make a difference.

Cons

Dead end job. No raises or promotions.

Pros

Working with sponsor groups to help the actual people who care to make a difference.

Cons

Long hours, little pay, very poor management. work every weekend. A lot of politics in the office. All management cares about is numbers and uses natural disasters to push their numbers. Very sad place to be a part of.

Pros

I have worked for the American Red Cross in blood services for over 5 years. One of the great things about working for ARC is that most everyone I work directly with (staff and donors) love making a difference. Also, the Red Cross has an excellent initial training program for new collections staff no matter the background. For staff working in the field, there are round the clock hot lines available to answer questions. Health and dental benefits available, as well as, well as 401K. Limited growth potential unless willing to move to management which is limited and many positions have been eliminated.

Cons

Work schedules very from day to day which makes it hard to plan life outside the company (i.e. join teams or social groups, volunteering, children's events, etc.). There is very little work-life balance, staff are expected to put life on hold for company. Although we are grouped into teams, we very seldom see our teammates or our supervisor because we are scheduled on different shifts and sites. Performance reviews are not helpful or quality because Team Supervisors have not worked with staff they are reviewing. A frustration for me and those I work with is that upper management talk about how they support personal growth, however, many loyal and hard working staff have left to pursue higher education because management would not give time to take night classes or do clinical rotations. There is a perception that the only way to be upwardly mobile in the company is to be part of the "good old boys club".