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Being an aid worker: experiences, working conditions and wellbeing

  • Page updated onMarch 6, 2026
Advantages and disadvantages of being a development worker
Text and photo: Bruno Abarca

If you are thinking of going into international cooperation or humanitarian action, it will not be enough to know how humanitarian organizations work, what types of professional profiles are in demand or what competencies you should try to develop. It is also essential to know the experiences of those already working in the humanitarian sector, to understand the possible advantages and disadvantages of being a development or aid worker.

There are as many experiences as there are professionals. What's more, the experience changes depending on countless internal factors (your motivations, values, and life moment, for example) and external ones (where you work, with what organization, with what people, and doing what functions, among many other things). Knowing some of the key dimensions in which humanitarian work is different from other work can be helpful in the difficult decision to try to engage in it and in dealing with challenges and difficulties as they arise.

Professional vocation and personal satisfaction

Most aid workers have a strong sense of purpose and diverse motivations.

The vast majority of the people I have met in the technical, programmatic and operational areas of humanitarian organizations had a strong vocation for humanitarian and development work. This does not mean that their values or life motivations were the same, but it does mean that, in many cases, there is an ethical or moral background linked to solidarity and social justice, which connects with the desire for the work to have a clear social impact.

This relative common denominator, however, does not automatically make anyone a good person, even if there is often some external social recognition. Within humanitarian organizations there are all kinds of people. Alongside inspiring references, there are also people with superficial motivations or in search of social validation.

Humanitarian work can be a truly enriching life experience, but it also generates frustration

The type of work that can be done in humanitarian action and cooperation, in many cases, provides an outlet for the sense of purpose with which many people enter the sector. Closeness to communities, to people affected by crises and to solidarity actions can help generate a strong connection to the principle of humanity.

However, it is dangerous to fall into a false idealization of the sector. In many cases, there can also be a strong shock with the operational reality of humanitarian action, as we learn first-hand about the injustices and the limitations of the humanitarian system to resolve them. This frustration, moreover, sometimes adds to the sector's inconsistencies, when at the same time that a sense of professional inadequacy or imposter syndrome is perceived internally, some organizations project a heroic narrative outwardly; or when the impact of interventions is exaggerated to obtain economic and social support, without delving into the political responsibilities behind human suffering.

In other cases, frustration is simply the result of bureaucratization and the daily distancing from the needs, actions and ultimate mission of humanitarian organizations. This is almost inevitable when working far away from them and remotely, or when the day-to-day life is sometimes similar to that of any office job, and far from idealized.

Salaries, benefits and working conditions in the humanitarian sector

The salaries of humanitarian and international cooperation personnel vary greatly among organizations, type of position, level of responsibility and professional experience of each person. However, the main determinant of salary differences in many cases lies in being national or expatriate staff, when there are dual systems.

Salaries and working conditions of humanitarian personnel at central offices and international headquarters

In international organizations, salaries tend to be proportional to the salary ranges of the country in which they are located, but are often not very competitive in comparison with the private sector in the same country. In multilateral agencies, however, salary scales sometimes include additional allowances, substantially improving working conditions and making them much more competitive.

Salaries and working conditions of expat aid workers

In many cases, expatriate humanitarian personnel have more extensive compensation packages than headquarters staff. This is largely due to the existence of salary supplements related to the complexity and danger of the humanitarian context in which they work, as well as per diem allowances to cover living expenses. Additionally, some humanitarian workers receive financial assistance to cover family expenses in relatively stable countries where travel is permitted. The salary scale of expatriate staff is also usually, at least in part, proportional to the economic level and labor market of the organization's headquarters, so that NGOs based in Spain or Italy generally offer lower compensation packages than those offered by organizations based in Switzerland or the United States, for example.

Expatriate aid workers, depending on the organization, may also have their accommodation costs covered (either in housing provided by the organization, sometimes shared with other members of the team, or with financial assistance to cover most of the costs of renting private housing), paid vacations, health care insurance (under similar conditions to the coverage available at headquarters) and repatriation, life and disability insurance, travel to and from the start and end of their deployment and, on occasion, additional costs for periodic short rest trips abroad in contexts where the work is very intense and demanding. Some countries also offer their international development workers additional benefits, such as some tax exemptions, personal property relocation expenses, recommended international vaccination fees and consular protection.

For all these reasons, and even though NGOs generally offer less job security and income than private companies, expatriate staff usually have conditions that allow them to save some money. This will be essential to face periods without employment, which can be common given the demanding nature of the work and the short duration of many contracts linked to projects in emergency or conflict contexts. In UN agencies, however, not only are there usually better salary conditions and benefits, but also lower turnover, longer contracts and greater job stability.

Salaries and working conditions of local and national aid workers

Local staff hired in countries where humanitarian programs are implemented often receive significantly lower salaries than international staff. The gap with expatriate staff can be even greater when it comes to national staff working in local and small NGOs.

The difference is partly due to the existence of dual salary scales, common in the private sector and multinational companies, which also extend to humanitarian organizations. In these, the salaries of local staff are set in relation to the national median salary, while those of expatriate staff are related to a global scale or to the labor market of the international organization's home country.

In addition, local staff tend to enjoy lower complements and social benefits. For this reason, and despite the fact that these salaries are generally better than those in the national public sector and are an important employment option in contexts with few private sector offers, the difference is perceived as unfair when performing similar functions and facing similar living costs. This is particularly critical in organizations working for equity and social justice, and especially when local staff often have greater exposure to risk and less protection in international crises.

Many organizations are working to make changes in their salary scales to reduce these gaps, such as single salary systems, hybrid salary systems that incorporate better social benefits and enhancements for local staff, or initiatives that promote decentralization and localization of humanitarian aid. They also increase the number of international opportunities with expatriation for professionals who have gained previous experience as national staff. In any case, the gap in the differences between expatriate and national staff persists and is a frequent source of unease, criticism and debate in the sector.

Physical, mental health and emotional well-being

Although much depends on the workplace or job responsibilities, humanitarian work is often characterized by its intensity, for better or worse.

Sense of community and personal growth

Often in the humanitarian system, strong interpersonal links are established with colleagues, either because they are in similar circumstances of moving to another destination (both international expatriate staff and local staff moving from other parts of their country), or because of shared values and a humanitarian identity.

In addition, many of the more technical and operational jobs require a high level of teamwork with large doses of autonomy, resilience, companionship, cooperation and creativity for problem solving. For this reason, and for the personal satisfaction that comes from feeling that you are part of a collective and multicultural effort to help alleviate the suffering of others, humanitarian work is a vital experience that not only contributes to professional growth but also to personal growth.

Many factors in crisis contexts wear down the physical and mental health of aid workers

Despite the positive aspects of humanitarian work, there are also many factors that affect physical, mental and emotional health.

Physical health can be heavily affected in extreme climates, poor living conditions, exposure to infectious diseases and endemic pathogens, and fatigue and exhaustion caused by displacement and long working hours. In addition, in many cases, humanitarian aid workers are targets of threats and attacks by armed groups. All this affects not only expatriate staff, but also (and in many cases with more intensity) local and national professionals.

Although the level of exposure to these and other factors tends to be higher for staff working in direct contact with communities and people affected by crises, staff working in offices also experience these effects. Many people engaged in humanitarian work report stress, anxiety, depression or burnout, as a result of exposure to violence, traumatic events and human suffering, but also to the emotional and social isolation that exists in some contexts, to work overload (very often self-imposed by a strong moral commitment and sense of responsibility). Moreover, in many violent contexts, it is not only the perception of insecurity that causes discomfort, but also the harshness of risk mitigation measures, such as curfews, limitations on movement outside areas considered «safe», or the close and continuous cohabitation in shared housing with the same people with whom one works.

Finally, in addition to all of the above, there is the mental and emotional exhaustion resulting from the continuous ethical-dilemmas to be faced, the extreme contradictions experienced between the place of origin and destination, the inequities and injustices of the humanitarian sector itself, the distance from the usual social and support network in the community of origin, the continuous and inevitable feeling of not being well prepared to face everything, and the contact with people who suffer and try to overcome the worst injustices, inequalities, and human rights violations, which now cease to be anonymous, invisible and distant.

Mobility, interpersonal relations and work-life balance

High mobility opens up opportunities to meet many people, but it also wears down

The development of a humanitarian career is often linked, for many professionals, to continuous movement. This high mobility, moreover, is rarely experienced in isolation, but usually it is easy to meet and interact with other people, with similar concerns and values, from many different organizations, cultures and places.

However, at times, excessive staff mobility also makes it difficult to establish lasting close relationships or forces the interruption of relationships and friendships. In a way, there is a continuous process of building and rebuilding support networks, which go through very different stages. Endogamous circles of expatriates or people from other areas of the country are also often generated, with a certain distancing from the rest. This is often perceived and felt as a bubble of frivolity, alienated from the reality just on the other side of the wall. Finally, some of these networks are artificial and constantly changing, generated by the circumstances of people who move for work, and not so much due to their affinity.

The value of mobility between countries or organizations is different for each individual, depending on his or her personality, but also depending on the time of life and family circumstances in which people find themselves. It is not uncommon for humanitarian aid workers subjected to high levels of stress, work pressure, and continuous mobility to go through stages of burnout that also have repercussions on their social relationships, generating isolation and loneliness.

Mobility can also complicate work–life balance and may lead to feelings of disconnection or rootlessness

Development and aid workers also have to deal with the consequences of being away, and often for long periods, from their families, friends and communities. This is not exclusive to expatriate staff. In fact, in many cases, it is national staff who experience it the most, when their families live in one city but they work in another, under very harsh conditions and with insufficient rest periods that allow them to balance their personal and family life with their professional responsibilities.

In addition, when travel within the country or abroad is repeated and prolonged over time, it becomes easy to lose one’s roots or sense of belonging to the place one comes from. People often not only lose closeness with friends and family, whom they may see only once or twice a year, but also miss important family milestones. Many professionals may go through a personal crisis when comparing their itinerant lifestyle with the “traditional” stability of their peers. This can intensify when, upon returning home and to their community of origin, individuals experience a sense of estrangement, as they must come to terms with the stark differences between the everyday concerns of people in that environment and those of people living in crisis settings.

Rootlessness can worsen over time, particularly if, in addition to having weakened ties with their community of origin, individuals work in places where most humanitarian staff are younger or at a different stage of life. The feeling of not belonging anywhere can have a significant emotional impact and affect the well-being of humanitarian workers, and it is not always adequately addressed.

The return is not always easy and requires preparation

Sometimes, after spending a long period relocating for work to different cities or countries, humanitarian workers wish to return to their communities of origin to seek a certain degree of geographic stability and new career paths, start a long-term relationship, or begin a family.

This return, however, can be challenging due to the loss of contacts and social networks, having a lifestyle and values that differ from those of the local community, disconnection from previous career paths, or now having a professional profile that is less competitive in the local job market. For some individuals, the abrupt change of pace also represents a significant challenge that must be managed, sometimes with external support.

An eventual career transition may work much better if there is prior preparation and a plan to address it. In this regard, it can be beneficial to first consider office-based roles within the same sector, maintain professional development linked to social causes from other sectors, and be able to identify and highlight the transferable skills gained from humanitarian work to these other fields. Savings accumulated during humanitarian work (if sufficient social benefits were provided and living and housing expenses were more or less covered) can, of course, make this transition easier and more manageable.

Working in humanitarian action

How to cite this page

Abarca, B. (March 6, 2026). Being a development worker: experiences, working conditions and well-being. Salud Everywhere. https://saludeverywhere.com/en/humanitarian-careers/pros-and-cons-of-being-a-humanitarian-aid-worker/

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