By Paula Fitzsimmons
When you envision working for an animal nonprofit, what comes to mind? A utopian environment where colleagues incessantly exchange niceties? Kumbaya. A workplace where you don’t have to bring on your very best game? Or perhaps you think it’s a place to hang out until “real” work comes along.
If you answered yes to any of these, you’d be mistaken.
By Paula Fitzsimmons
Working 70 hours a week at a job that may pay well but sucks the life out of you. Securing the bottom line at any cost. Clawing your way to the top of the corporate ladder. Doing whatever it takes to achieve a certain level of “success” isn’t working out too well for us – and especially not for animals or the planet.
Noted scholar and environmental educator, David W. Orr summed it up perfectly when he wrote: “The planet does not need more successful people. It needs people of moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane. And these qualities have little to do with success as we have defined it.”
By Paula Fitzsimmons
Have you ever noticed how some people bristle at the idea of a nonprofit worker getting paid a salary? As if dedicating one’s life to animals, the environment, or some other worthy charitable cause means the work should be done strictly on a volunteer basis.
It’s not as if people who work for animal charities are motivated by greed and profit. Like anyone else, they just want to be able to earn a living. Most of us have expenses, and unless you’re the rare recipient of a lavish trust fund, I’ll assume you do, too.
So why do some feel the need to begrudge charity workers?
By Paula Fitzsimmons
Companies have traditionally offered benefits and perks as a way to attract and keep top employees. From decent health benefits and pension funds to daycare and paid leave, a good benefits package can add value – from hundreds to even thousands of dollars – to your pay per year.
It’s not just for-profit businesses who are taking care of their employees. Several nonprofit organizations, including those who advocate for animals and the environment, tout benefits that are just as attractive – and in some cases even more so – than their corporate counterparts. (Think of how much you can save with a deeply-discounted health plan for your animal companion, for instance.)