APPRISE Reviews

As other reviewers have said, the two co-founders lead through fear rather than love. For people who take criticism very personally, the stress is overwhelming and work becomes a hostile place. I have a thicker skin and didn't mind the criticism so much -- but I realized how little respect, responsibility, and trust I was really getting, so I quickly left once I found a better opportunity. The people who last a long time at APPRISE seem to be okay tolerating an environment where they are routinely disrespected. The workplace culture also does not reflect the exciting set of issues we work on (helping the poor! saving the environment!). There is a sense that rigor and accountability are important -- after all, APPRISE mostly does program evaluation work -- but there is no larger sense of being part of something meaningful.

During my interview I noticed something was off, and I wish I had trusted my gut. I took the position here and within the first month I knew I had made a mistake. Everyone works incredibly hard here and the job is demanding, but that's not a problem in my eyes. I know that people can work hard, accomplish great things, feel valued, expand their skill sets, and have a high quality of life all at the same time. What sets the tone for that type of work environment is management. Upper management here is toxic in a way I have never experienced before. It's that feeling of "I can't win regardless of what I do". In the beginning, you try to do your best, despite the vague instructions you were given. Inevitably, it's not exactly what management wanted, so they reprimand you. Next time, you decide to ask questions ("if I ask for clarification, I'll be able to give them exactly what they want", you naively tell yourself). You're told to either "read it again" or it's implied that you're stupid for not understanding. Have an idea for how to make things more efficient/try to contribute in a way that is innovative? Forget it, I promise that if there's a way for management to blame you for the inefficiency you're trying to help fix, they will. There's a set way that management wants things and it's not going to change. Which I guess is fine, but they frequently ask for feedback/new ideas. My suggestion is to not open your mouth. People walk on egg shells here. When the president and managing director are gone (this rarely happens, but occasionally they travel, etc), the difference is palpable. Work still gets done, but vibe is completely changed. The managing director once threw a full blown temper tantrum (slamming doors, throwing paper into the hallway). I've seen people cry in/just outside the office because of the president. The worst part is that the business model is developed for high turn over. Management hires about 5 policy analysts at a given time and they are expected to only work there for about a year-- if they make it longer, great, but the expectation is clearly people last for a year. Within my first 6 months, 3 people left (not including the temporary research assistants). For a company of about 10 analysts (research directors, senior analysts, and analysts), that's pretty crazy to me. Management doesn't have to worry about the toxic culture because they aren't interested in lowering their turnover rate. APPRISE is great if you're great at keeping your head down and you're immune to constant put-downs (or perhaps you can totally compartmentalize your work from how you feel when you leave). Otherwise, you won't make a month until you wish you were somewhere else.