Pros
NPCA switched to a 32 hour, four day workweek. We are closed on Fridays. Think of how life-changing it is to have a three-day weekend every week. Most also work remote or flex Mon-Thurs. You really won’t find another org excelling like this in work-life balance. NPCA is strongly mission driven and our folks love parks. Genuinely wonderful, passionate people working to protect national parks. Also a huge commitment to equity and diversity that we are seeing yield organizational change in terms of hiring choices, policy priorities, and employee trainings that happen during working hours.
Cons
There is no room to grow at NPCA. There are many departments comprised of just a few people each (many regional offices have 2-5 staff) so unless someone leaves and creates an opening up the chain, there is nowhere to go. There is also no clear path or set or guidelines for a raise or promotion. Career advancement seems to happen based on the whims and recommendations of each employee’s supervisor, which creates an unequal playing field. Folks with wonderful managers get supported and advance, others not so much. Many of the Regional Directors are hesitant to embrace new ideas and technology, so their teams are held back.