Does Human Rights Watch pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Human Rights Watch employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.5 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Human Rights Watch. This rating has decreased by 5% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Human Rights Watch?

62% of Human Rights Watch employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Human Rights Watch 3.1 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.3 for culture and values and 2.7 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Human Rights Watch?

Intern (38) , Associate (23) , Researcher (15) , Coordinator (12) , Internship (7) , Senior Researcher (7) , Manager (5) , Associate Director (4) , Development and Outreach (4) , Managing Director (4) , Research Assistant (4) , Summer Intern (4) , Deputy Director (3) , Development Intern (3) , Director (3)

What are the pros of working at Human Rights Watch according to real employee reviews?

"Great colleagues" ((in 19 reviews)); "Great people to work with!" ((in 19 reviews)); "The benefits are good" ((in 16 reviews)); "Flexible hybrid environment, unionized support staff, amazing coworkers, learning every day" ((in 7 reviews)); "Gives opportunity to make a difference in peoples lives." ((in 7 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Human Rights Watch according to real employee reviews?

"It is an unpaid internship and living in New York City is very expensive so you have to find means to support yourself" ((in 16 reviews)); "bad management" ((in 8 reviews)); "The pay is low." ((in 5 reviews)); "Excessive workloads, poor managers and chaotic culture" ((in 5 reviews)); "Long hours and not particularly well compensated" ((in 4 reviews))

What are employees saying about Human Rights Watch layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Human Rights Watch layoffs and their outlook for job security at Human Rights Watch in 2026.

Human Rights Watch reviews

3.2

62% would recommend to a friend

(180 total reviews)

Kenneth Roth

57% approve of CEO

33% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Human Rights Watch has an employee rating of 3.2 out of 5 stars, based on 180 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Human Rights Watch employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the ONG y Organizaciones sin fines de lucro industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

180 reviews

3.0

Feb 19, 2023

Good company, in transition

Researcher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Flexible hours, decent pay, great colleagues, international reputation, many opportunities for networking and travelling.

Cons

Currently in a major institutional transition, and it is difficult for new people to navigate. Lots of hierarchy! Confusing structure. Review process for publishing articles, research etc is terrible - needs to be better streamlined.

2.0

Jan 30, 2023

Toxic

Associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Prestigious and rigorous organization. Smart and knowledgeable colleagues.

Cons

Lots of lip service on DEI but little real progress. A shocking gap between “local” and US/exec salaries; a new compensation structure is worsening this gap. “Gotcha” culture of competition and bullying; toxic environment. Senior managers tolerate and engage in abusive behavior. New members have joined the senior management team in recent years and promised reform, but the changes so far have not been positive ones, especially in terms of DEI, compensation, and workplace culture.

3.0

Jan 28, 2023

High profile organization in transition

Researcher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Excellent colleagues Mission-driven work Solid financials

Cons

Tensions at management level Organization transitioning from long-term leadership

Viewing 61 - 63 of 180 Reviews

Jobs at Human Rights Watch

Administrative Assistant - Human Resources Department

Senior Researcher, Criminal Justice