#18 The Field Museum
At Chicago's hallowed Field Museum, countless artifacts from the natural world are meticulously collected and cared for. Some pieces are thousands of years old, and as it turns out, the emerging Generation Y workforce is an important element in keeping what's old new again and relevant for a Field-loving public.
"Gen Y is very smart," says Diane White, VP of Operations. "They are committed to education and to social issues, and to ensuring that future generations benefit from this educational scientific institution. They fit beautifully."
There are many ways to fit at the museum. Employees come from all corners of the world. "Gen X accepts diversity, but Gen Y celebrates and embraces it," says White. White also notes that blending generations is exciting for both groups who get to share information and learn from one another.
From teaching to administrative positions, curatorial duties to working with the actual museum holdings, there's lots of interesting things to do and ample room to move at The Field Museum. Cody Randel, Student Programs Coordinator of Education says, "Work is different every day. We do all sorts of projects, and work with researchers and exhibitions in different departments."
The work/life balance is exceptional, including 35-hour workweeks. On Friday, employees hold a happy hour; they're also in charge of organizing holiday parties, ice cream socials during the summer, exhibit previews for the staff, and Halloween parties. Over lunch, it's common to see staffers suiting up for a noonday jog at the nearby lakefront or a game of Frisbee on the lawn.
It's no surprise that a natural history museum would be interested in conservation and staying green. In addition to having the largest solar roof installations in the state and being adamant about recycling, The Field Museum has won the Chicago Bikes to Work Challenge for the past four years.
"The Field Museum is basically the entire world in one building," says Randel. "We provide to the public, something you can't get anywhere else. It's a place where you can fulfill your life."
