The END Fund Reviews

Before I get into the cons, I must say that there is no perfect organization, and that the END Fund might be for some, and not for others. Just like any organization, the END Fund has been trying to get better but there are some structural and organizational challenges that have not been adequately tackled. Firstly, professional growth and career development is subjective. Although there has been an attempt to standardize things, there are still some serious inequities here. Your skill set can be great, but your manager and department head have a bigger influence in determining your fate at the organization - regardless of what your background/portfolio is. Historically, there have been some departments that are way better to be a part of than others. This is an organizational issue that should be addressed because everybody should thrive regardless of the department that they find themselves in. For anybody joining, my suggestion is that you do your research and make sure you are being valued (in your role/title based on experience and also skill set). You should also make sure that you are given the highest and most competitive offer based on what your career goals are because the resources to pay you are there, even if it is not presented to you that way! Doing this, really makes a difference! Another con of the organization is that it tends to be the case (although weird) for some people with power and influence to take on passion projects and justify the need for them. This was so frustrating especially when a consultant is chosen because of personal relationships or a project is identified that does not fit into department goals/strategic plans. Burnout is very real here, so please state what your boundaries are . A lot of people leaving in recent years has also been an issue. When people leave, the least you can do is hire people to fill those roles. Instead, it is a whole reshuffle of the department and people end up taking on the workload of two-three people in their jobs. This is truly embarrassing, stressful, and needs to stop. People are not machines and expectations that are set should be realistic!

There is a tremendous issue of lack of trust in senior management due to questionable and at times borderline unlawful practices. For the last 3 years there has been a problem with bullying, retaliation, nepotism, and discrimination from certain higher level people. The CEO and other senior managers have turned a blind-eye even when there have been repeated complaints. Because it is a small organization, management has been able to get away with not having proper, qualified HR personnel. Growth and opportunities to advance are strongly (if not solely) tied to favoritism and not merit. Many people have been fired or pushed out for not agreeing with higher-ups.