Pros
The mission is amazing. There's no way around it a lot of us are there because theres a real chance to save lives. And it's the best/largest OPO in the world. It's great to work with the BEST at anything, and this place has the biggest numbers and successes every year. Makes me feel proud every day.
Cons
Directors and Managers treat employees very unfairly. I watch them play favorites and prefer yes-men and women who are less talented (some of them are downright unqualified) over the strongest employees who bring new ideas and approaches to the table. They are clearly threatened by the idea of change and losing their control. It sounds paranoid to say it, but I've seen it happen with other people and it's the only conclusion to make. All of the managers and directors have been there 20+ years. In business school they talk about this sort of stale management staffing as being toxic and that's exactly what you've got here. What's the step beyond toxic? That's this place. The only way to get ahead is to keep your head down and make the managers and directors look good to their higher ups. (we all started out being treated like the best person they've ever hired - and then it settles in and you keep trying to get back to that ideal new car smell state, when it's impossible) I've watched the best people (certainly lately) get undermined and treated like the "bad guy" when no such thing is true. It's made me really re-examine if I want to keep working here. With such a good mission, it's shocking to see such vicious behavior toward the strongest employees. I know the truth now, and realize how many lives have been hurt by this management. When I started I assumed the disgruntled employees were just troublemakers and were making excuses. Now, I have to keep reminding myself that I'm in the good graces for now - but it could turn at any minute. Not a way to live. I see that other people (on this site) have made the same observations and it's frankly made me feel better and more sure of my conclusions. I'm definitely on the job market now, but it will be sad to leave this mission behind me. You hear about people having to recover from working here...I want to get out while the getting is good. Beware working here, you'll come in a hero, settle in and keep tryinig to be the hero in their eyes again, and then finally become the enemy and get treated badly.