Massachusetts Department of Public Health Reviews

Pros

Interesting, dynamic and diverse environment. This position requires someone who is an experienced and self-confident leader; someone who is able to prioritize and respond in a fast paced environment. This is a significant and challenging government position.

Cons

Long hours and a VERY short turnaround time for reporting in a very complex setting.

Pros

Mission Driven Work Job Security Pension Good Healthcare Decent pay - union scheduled yearly increases

Cons

Bureaucracy - lots of red tape & paperwork Hard to make changes/innovate Minimal vacation time (2 weeks for first 5 years)

Advice to Management

Find ways to support employees that go the extra mile. Offer more vacation time.

Pros

You get insight into a state health department works and have an impact on changing large systems to improve statewide health.

Cons

A lot of the bureaucratic red tape can be frustrating to start new projects

Pros

Location, good people at sub management level, "working hours"

Cons

Micromanagement, too many managers, actively non collegial, non collaborative, enforced silos, very rigid thinking and extreme professional isolation. This is not a good place for a scientist at all - the focus is on command and control and don't talk or work with anyone outside of your silo.

Advice to Management

Weed out your micromanaging subordinates. Stop actively inhibiting and start promoting collaboration between groups. Allow people to talk to colleagues and collaborate outside of the organization. Allow participation in professional groups. Start promoting scientific thinking and behavior and get rid of the managers whose only job is to fill out tracking sheets and control projects that they have zero connection to...

Pros

Supportive environment, great work-life balance, good compensation, good diversity hiring

Cons

Bureaucratic, slow and difficult to effect change

Pros

Great place to start just out of college to develop useful skill sets you can take with you anywhere, or a great place to stick around in if you're near retirement age and have worked there for a while (the in between not so much). Good work-life balance; simple 9-5 for the most part and you get all the state holidays off. Separate sick time that rolls over each year. Vacation rolls over as well, and 3 personal days...

Cons

So much bureaucracy it hurts. Everything moves at a snail's pace. Almost impossible to get a promotion or grow. You stay stuck in the same title you started in unless you quit and apply for an entirely new role, probably within another program. The unions and HR do very little to help and often give confusing and conflicting information depending on who happens to answer the phone. Two weeks vacation to start doesn't...

Advice to Management

Allow opportunities for employee growth and figure out a way to have more swaying power over HR. Keep projects varied and exciting.

Pros

Very dedicated employees, many brilliant people. It's nice to work in public service.

Cons

It's a huge, slow-moving, bureaucracy.

Pros

Great coworkers who are always willing to help. You never feel like you are stuck with something you don't know to do. They provide great training for new hires and slowly ease you into your responsibilities. Nice office atmosphere with birthdays and holidays celebrated. Managers are really nice and actually care about your well-being and your career growth. Great benefits in terms of PTO (sick time separate from vacation)...

Cons

It's a state job so the pay is not competitive when compared to the private sector. The work sometimes gets monotonous and there are periods when there isn't much to do and other times when it's crazy busy.