Pros
Overall, the organization’s leadership (board and executive team) at the top is trying to make changes to the work culture and make EO a better workplace. • Really good benefits - healthcare, 401k, perks for professional development, nice PTO allowances, home office stipends • Generous annual leave - 15 days floating holidays (which can basically be used as vacay days) + 10 personal/sick days + 10 vacation days for 1-3 yrs tenure (15 for 3-5yrs and 20 for 5+ years!!!) • Even though it’s a nonprofit, pay is actually competitive with median market rates (keyword: median). From what I understand, this is a pretty recent policy change that I’m pretty happy/thankful about • Amazing opportunities to develop friendships with colleagues from all over the world!!! Staff from around the world are really diverse and cool. Expand your perspective and learn from entrepreneurs who have a depth of experience in many different fields and industries. Also we get access to the same amazing speakers and learning content that members, like sessions with Gloria Estefan, Esther Perel, Gary Vee, etc) • Flexible schedule - but range of flexibility might depend on personal preferences of team leaders. Some double standards exist. • For some people, opportunities to travel all over and and see the world. Often in really exciting locations! • Encourages staff to be entrepreneurial in their own way. I’ve met quite a few staff who have had experience as entrepreneurs in addition to their day job. Also heard that staff often leave EO to pursue their own businesses, and that’s really inspiring to see!! • Gain resiliency, flexibility, courage. Working at EO really requires you to be okay with constant change. Really makes you step outside of your comfort zone. • Very mission-driven culture and inspiring organization vision - to move the world forward by helping entrepreneurs unlock their full potential
Cons
Every workplace comes with its own set of problems, but the ones here are deeprooted and far reaching. • Even though some policy changes have happened at the top to help establish a positive work culture, they’re not all being practiced at all the levels of the organization. Toxic people are still put in leadership roles and creating toxic culture. Unfortunately, the HR team that is supposed to focus on “people and culture" team turns a blind eye to it all- they placate the victims but don’t actually take action, which just makes things worse because you know they know about it and subjects the victims to retaliation. All the perks in the world can't make up for leadership that robs you of your mental and emotional health. • Management who steal credit for their staff's original work, thought & ideas while constantly belitting their staff. They’ll squeeze every last drop out of you while underpaying you and withholding promotions so that they can bring in their own people/connections. • Honesty, hard work and reasonable discussion are not valued. Have seen respected, tenured staff get reduced to tears for asking reasonable clarifying questions that were actually really valid and helpful. Talk about psychological safety- practically nonexistent!! • Toxic leadership are given full range to continue verbally abusing their staff, thinly veiled threats. Even worse, bad bevhior is rewarded. • Working with member leaders can be really challenging depending on who it is. It’s like herding cats. • Constantly moving targets and rapidly changing priorities causing whiplash for employees. Everything is a priority. If you can survive this, you can survive ANYTHING. • No reward for loyalty. Little to no growth or promotion opportunities for tenured staff. No policy or structure in place for career advancment opportunities. Instead, people are constantly being hired from the outside on a whim to fill “senior” roles and bring in “expertise” and “experience” while in reality not contributing any work, while tenured staff slave away with no end in sight, no recognition and no support. Nepotism at it’s finest. • This place is like a big ship that steers at a speed of slow, painful creep. People are hired to come in, with the intent make big, positive changes, but there are a whole lota obstacles. That stand in the way. Everything has to go for member approval, which often slows down progress. • In the short time I’ve been here, I’ve seen SO much restructuring, layoffs, staff turnovers just in the past couple years alone. Staff who are affected are often just told to “deal with it” and carry on as if nothing happened while MORE work piles on top and they get to the point of complete burnout. If you can make it here, you’re ready for anything. Ultimately, it depends on what team you’re on. Some leaders are really awesome. Their empathetic, go to bat for their team and fight for them. Others will scream fest about upper management/member leaders behind your back on one meeting and completely change their tune and kiss up to you in the same day.