OAKLAND, CA: Global Citizen Year, the nonprofit organization launching a generation of leaders with the perspectives and skills to solve humanity’s most urgent challenges, has been ranked #1 in Outside Magazine’s list of the best places to work. The list, which is updated annually, spotlights the top 50 companies and organizations which, in 2021, “attracted top talent in a year when record numbers of Americans were changing jobs.”
The award highlights Global Citizen Year’s success with remote work as well as a range of unique benefits, including annual funds for professional and personal development, flexible time off, and a paid sabbatical after three years. Additional benefits include comprehensive medical coverage and paid parental leave.
Global Citizen Year is committed to being an inclusive and inspiring workplace where colleagues can learn, grow, and thrive while driving the organization’s mission forward. To support this, they have developed an equitable and competitive compensation program that includes generous benefits beyond salaries. By putting people first, Global Citizen Year has been able to attract and retain diverse talent at all levels of the organization.
“The fuel that drives our organizational culture is trust,” says Erin Lewellen, President and COO of Global Citizen Year. “Building trust is hard. It’s never-ending. And, it requires everyone at the organization to be willing to constantly look in the mirror and ask ‘How are we doing? And how can we do it better?’. Building team culture is not a problem to be solved by a leader alone. It is not an item on the to-do list. It’s messy, it’s daily, and it’s built through every interaction between teammates. At Global Citizen Year, we own the complexity, and we keep at it. I believe that’s why we’re the #1 place to work.”
Even today, as the workplace has expanded beyond the physical constraints of an office, Global Citizen Year is committed to its people. Erin Lewellen says that “behind every decision about our work culture is an ear to what our team needs. We are committed to ensuring that, especially in this new virtual landscape, we are providing the resources, support, and freedom that allow our people to bring their full selves to work and perform at their very best every single day.”
With this in mind, the organization is being deliberate to ensure that colleagues remain connected and engaged with each other as remote work and flexible working arrangements become the new normal. It holds remote social events and team members connect outside of work contexts through exchanges like book clubs, yoga breaks or virtual coffee/happy hours.
“Global Citizen Year is a special place to work because everyone is united by a shared connection to our mission. This passion fuels a foundational commitment to the organization, and the work that needs to be done,” said Odiaka Gonzalez, Vice President of People and Operations at Global Citizen Year. “The success of our organization is due to the supportive environment we all have cultivated, a workplace in which employees feel comfortable and encouraged to bring their authentic selves to work.”
