My personal opinion includes the following:
- Poor wages. Annual increases were virtually non-existent during my tenure, and starting pay appears to have remained stagnant for years for most direct-care positions. Starting wages across that board are appalling low, even in the non-profit sector.
- Poor benefits; medical coverage is expensive, high deductibles, etc. No 401k match.
-Senior leadership and management leaves much to be desired as it relates to ethics and competence
-Disorganization and lack of communication
Whether you are recent graduate, someone interested in getting into human services, or a season veteran---I would advise you to look elsewhere. There are plenty of other (ethical) organizations in which to invest your time and energy that are able to provide better training, higher wages, a healthier work environment, and true dedication to serving their clients.
There appeared to be barriers to advancement for women and minorities beyond entry-level or direct-care positions. I believe this was perpetuated by a strong cultural undertone of unwelcoming and close-mindedness.
Most dishearteningly, I also found Lad Lake to be particularly tone-deaf to the cultural differences of our clients (many of which are young black males from central city of Milwaukee).