According to a recent article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, “two reports…show a disconnect between what nonprofits provide to their workers and what employees say is essential to their job satisfaction.” The article goes on to state that “70% of workers in two surveys said their jobs were either disappointing or only somewhat fulfilling” and “four out of 10 workers in both cities said that the factors they ranked as most essential are not on display at their nonprofits:—“respect, trust, and support by management” as well as a sense that their organization has “a compelling mission.””
You can read the whole article here.
I find these results rather fascinating, but what I’d really like to know is, how does this compare to the work world at large, particularly in for-profits of equal size? In other words, is this typical of all workers, or is this a particular problem in the non-profit world?
I’ve advised dozens of people on career choices over the years, including staff that I managed. My rule of thumb was always the same, whether you worked for me or someone else: If you wake up in the morning and the first thing you think is “God, I hate my job,” then it’s time to move on. You spend most of your working hours at your job. Why be miserable?
How about you? Are you unhappy with your job? Do you think this is an issue particular to non-profits, or is true across the spectrum?