Concern Worldwide Reviews

Here's the TLDR version: do not apply for a job here. This review is for the New York location. If you are considering applying here: don't. It's easy to highlight the cons such as poor compensation, or zero career growth opportunities, or a lack of diversity. But really what makes this place so terrible is the toxic work environment. The dysfunction is so rampant, and so pervasive, it's hard to put into words. Senior management seems to have acquired their jobs simply by hanging on, rather than by skill. Recently a senior staff member was hired then left within two months. There was no transparency around the departure, causing staff to discuss it among ourselves. The US CEO threatened the entire staff with termination as a result. So if being threatened with being fired for private conversations is your sort of thing, then definitely come work at Concern. One or two members of the senior staff are nice, but seem powerless (or unwilling) to take some sort of stand. Other members of the senior management team are never in the office and aren't very responsive on email, while another can be characterized by a blank stare, silence, and the ability (when forced to talk) to say nothing or add anything of value. You would think that someone would hold senior staff accountable for poor management/leadership skills and take feedback from staff seriously, but no changes have ever been made. What does management all have in common? The inability to make a decision. Forget about deadlines. You will never meet them. We have so many meetings and gather so many teams in one room so that all the VPs and directors can avoid placing a decision squarely on their shoulders. So no decision is made at all. It's pathetic to see a room full of people either too scared to make a decision, or more likely, too inexperienced/unskilled to strategize and execute major plans. It's beyond frustrating to work in that type of environment. If you are lucky to have your boss sign off on a plan of action, don't get too attached. It will likely change, and right before it's meant to be executed. Management here has been around for a long time and likely won't go elsewhere, because they aren't capable of holding similar jobs at any other organization. Then there's the rest of the staff. Most of the lower ranking folks at Concern are really nice and talented. They care about their job. But the work environment is so awful. Everyone gossips. Despite an office full of women, men are prized and prioritized here. There is a group of men here that seem to be empowered to do whatever they want by a director who loves to devalue fellow women and their ideas. Ideas are either quick to be shot down or only implemented after money is spent on outside agencies to tell them the exact same idea you had shared. It becomes clear quickly that despite a lot of talk about innovation, growth, progress, etc. that senior management just wants to keep kicking the can down the road. Nepotism seems to be the word around which this office really revolves. Concern is run by a very small band of people with a high concentration of power. Given how small our office is, you can only imagine what a hellish existence it can be for only 5 people to control and have power over everyone else and the other departments, no matter your rank, experience, or longevity in the office. I've heard comments made that I viewed as tone deaf and offensive re: race and gender. There are rumored relationships between staff that can make work difficult. Accountability just doesn't exist here. Everyone here loves to claim that Concern is a "family". That's true, if your family was a bunch of snakes. I spend my nights looking for new jobs but it isn't easy. As much as I want to leave, I'm terrified that my next organization will be just as bad as this one. When I first came here, I truly did believe the mission, and bought into the promise of doing my dream job. But jobs here almost never live up to expectation. I cannot wait to quit - but I won't do so until I am certain that my next job won't be as bad as this one. Please, just heed my advice. Do not work here. You will bitterly regret it, like I do.