Non-Profit vs. Corporate America

[Choo-ChooAKA]

I worked in corporate America (Investment Banking and the Bond Market) for many years before I began working for a non-profit. While corporate America can be stifling and un-fulfilling, I have found that my experience in the corporate culture varies depending upon the company. I can't generalize my experience with one company as fitting a certain "corporate America" stereotype. I have worked in corporate environments where there was flexibility and humanity at every level of interaction, as opposed to other corporate environments where the bottom-line ($) seemed to pervade the entire organization.

I can't compare my experience with non-profits because I have only worked at one non-profit (I have been here for 4 years). However, I still look back on my tenure working on the Bond market as my fondest "pay-for-your-time-and-energy" employment experience. Why? Because, unlike where I work now, which is a very large state-run non-profit and the rules must apply to all in an attempt to be "fair," it was a small company (about 30) with very few set policies. You set your own hours - when they would best suit both you and the company, planned your vacation when and as long as you needed (within reason), and pretty much lived an autonomous existence as long as the work got done.

I have found that my experience as an employee depends less on whether a company is "corporate" than on the number of employees it has. Judging by the previously posted responses, I think I can say this is true for many people. When a company has hundreds of employees, one is bound to be treated as a "number" with little flexibility or ability to feel "human" within the confines of work.

You mustn't get the idea that I buy into the whole capitalist experience in America (far from it), but I have found I can easily separate my socio-political views from my need to make a living, when necessary. My experience at work is determined by the pervading subculture of the company - whether corporate or non-profit.

[ladygreek]

I have worked both for corporate America (including 10 years with IBM) and nonprofit America (for the last 12 years). I have an MBA and can honestly say I utilized what I learned while attaining my degree more in nonprofit than in corporate. Currently, I am an adjunct instructor at a local university in its Graduate School of Business, Center for Nonprofit Management.

What I can tell you right now is that the nonprofit sector is not very stable, especially after 9/11 because they have lost much of their corporate funding and are receiving reduced government funding. Also, their foundation funding has been impacted by the economy and the depreciation of foundation endowments. Layoffs are occuring in nonprofits the same as they are occuring in corporate.

While there is a certain gratification from working for mission-based organizations the bottom line is still critical. And as the funding dollars shrink, there also seems to be more "creative" bookkeeping occuring. Since nonprofits are governed by volunteer boards of directors--many of whom are there because they believe in the cause-- there is a lack of diligent oversight. So what you end up with is powerful executive directors/presidents/CEOs making six figures while line staff are paid low five figures which causes low morale and negatively impacts the fulfillment of the mission.