PHI Ranked One of 50 Best Nonprofit Workplaces in the Nation

Oakland, CA – The Public Health Institute was named today as one of the 50 “Best Nonprofits To Work For” by The NonProfit Times, a nonprofit business management publication. This is the third time PHI has applied for the award, and the third time it has received the recognition.

“To be a great place to work, PHI first takes care of its employees, who in turn do great work,” said PHI President and CEO Mary A. Pittman, DrPH. “Our 600+ employees are our greatest asset and the driving force behind what we do. This award affirms our commitment to providing a workplace that supports employee development, provides excellent benefits, and creates a community of committed colleagues who share ideas, exchange best practices and celebrate each other.”

Read The NonProfit Times’ interview with Mary Pittman, which accompanied the top 50 announcement.

One of the oldest and largest nonprofit public health institutes in the nation, PHI is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year. The engagement and commitment of its employees in California, the U.S. and internationally have been key to the organization’s longevity and growth. Starting with a nominal budget in 1964, PHI’s revenues today exceed $100 million annually, and it is home to about 200 programs and projects.

When employees were asked to use one word to describe what they liked best about working at PHI, their answers reflected the kind of workplace PHI strives to be—one that offers flexibility, support, equity and great co-workers. Their answers also reflected the kind of work we do, with important shared values like altruism, impact, equity and mission.

New positions at PHI are sought after. Its online employment pages have been viewed over 90,000 times in the last year. And employees who come to PHI stay at PHI: 20% of current PHI employees have been on the job more than 10 years. This is true at all levels of the organization—PHI’s General Counsel has the longest tenure of all PHI employees, at 39 years, followed by the executive assistant to the president, who has worked at PHI for 37 years. The organization backs its commitment to employees with a strong benefits package, which includes a retirement plan contribution of 10% of each employee’s salary without requiring an employee match.

PHI employees join a mission-driven organization that serves as a leader in the field of health and prioritizes health equity. PHI helps farmworkers eat more healthily in California, girls gain access to education in Nigeria, hospitals support healthier populations across the US, and so much more. PHI employees make the world a healthier place—no matter their role in the company.

The NonProfit Times partnered with the Best Companies Group of Harrisburg, Pa., to rank organizations by collecting information from employers about their pay and benefits and then conducting a large random sample survey of employees, which contributed 75% to the overall ranking. Employees were asked about such topics as the nonprofit’s corporate culture and communication, role satisfaction, work environment, professional development, work-life balance and overall employee engagement.