A constant refrain in discussions with my coworkers is “It doesn’t have to be like this.”
I work in fundraising, so our department’s success is fairly quantifiable. And yet despite surpassing funding goals, on a leaner shop than in years past, morale is poor. Internal communication from our manager is limited, and staff feel like we’re not given the information and tools we need to succeed at our jobs. Work is waiting to be done, and at times, we feel like we’re kept from fully contributing.
No one is in the museum field for the big bucks — we’re here because we love the work. Nobody wants a miserable museum, but somehow we end up here. It doesn’t have to be like this!