The work has potential, but the workplace is messy
Pros
It's a unique opportunity to work with people around the world. You'll have passionate coworkers who really care about the work they're doing and are just cool people. There's potential to do interesting work on a global scale, which is a great resume builder and stepping stone to future opportunities. This could be worth taking a job at B Lab as long as you avoid expecting too much and probably don't expect to stay long. Excellent benefits and pay isn’t terrible for mid/senior roles at least by non-profit standards.
Cons
On paper B Lab seems like a dream job, which is a shame because the reality is that the issues shared by other reviewers are so prevalent that it distracts from that potential. The organization is so disorganized and poorly managed that I believe it actually affects the quality of the work employees are able to do and thereby limits B Lab’s credibility and value. The management team is generally nice, but they don't seem willing or capable of digging out of the mess. The same cultural issues were present when I started and barely changed during the time I worked there, despite how often it was discussed. Leaders always say they are "working on it" but the results of that work seem negligible. At best this makes for a frustrating experience. At worst, I know of several former employees (myself included) who have been scarred by their experience working here long after leaving, some from especially awful experiences reporting to people in senior leadership. Their behavior has never been addressed as far as I know. The same small number of people seem to be revered despite their contribution to the toxic culture, poor management skills, or ineffective leadership. It's bad enough that it’s not uncommon for people to leave B Lab without another job lined up because they're too burned out or sick of being mistreated to continue working here. Those who stay eventually decide to just put their heads down and disengage in order to tolerate it. If you do decide to ignore the negative reviews, just make sure you ask in interviews about the current culture, what B Lab is doing for staff related to JEDI, management support (especially if you're applying for a manager role), and what success looks like in your role and what you'll be expected to deliver. Ask for specific examples and question vague answers. Decide for yourself if the answers you receive are satisfying. Trust your instincts if anything seems off and if the expectations seem too high or unclear, know that probably won't improve once you're in the job.
