High turnover extracts a heavy toll on all
organisations, particularly those in the not-for-profit sector. Not only does
it waste the time, money and other precious resources that your NFP uses to
train its people, turnover increases inefficiency in your organisation as your
nonprofit must now go to the effort of finding, training and retaining new
personnel.
Long before they leave, unhappy staff and
volunteers impact your organisation in terms of the quality of service it
provides all stakeholders. If you want to keep your team, and ensure that they
are fully engaged in their work for your service community, your NFP’s
leadership must make some effort to keep them happy.
The following are a few tips to help your
nonprofit better meet the needs of its volunteers and staff members.
Empowerment
and Flexibility
Regardless of anyone’s job title and
duties, at least some of the tasks that are performed each day seem redundant
and unnecessary. Each of us is also an individual with our own tastes and
preferences, so wherever it is possible, try to grant your team as much
autonomy and authority as possible. Empower your people to make decisions and
to take responsibility in the areas that they work in.
Allow staff and volunteers to switch things
up during their workday by allowing them to cross train and do similar work,
but in different departments. Not only does this help to prevent monotony and
boredom, your nonprofit benefits from new insight and perspective brought by
members from other areas of your NFP’s operations. It also improves your
organisation’s flexibility during times when you might be understaffed in some
departments but overstaffed in others.
Keep
Everyone Up-to-Date
Have you ever had the experience of having
people close to you keep a secret from you? How did it make you feel?
When we respect others, we bring them into
our circle of confidence. Everyone wants to know what is going on, and what
they need to do as a team to advance the mission forward.
Be accessible to your teams, and make
yourself available to them. Have an open-door policy that works both ways. Hold
regular meetings with your team members so that you can keep them updated as to
your organisation’s goals, policies, and breaking news.
If your team is scattered across multiple
locations, assemble them together in one central location with as many members of
your team as possible. Next, bring the others in via live video conferencing on
Skype or another online platform. Make an effort to give everyone a voice
during your meetings so that everyone’s concerns or questions are heard and
addressed.
When you openly communicate with your team,
you build trust, respect and rapport. Your staff and volunteers learn that they
can count on you to provide them with the information that they need to perform
their tasks well. Your team also learns that you have their best interests at
heart and are looking out for them.
Acknowledgement
When we work hard, it’s only natural to
want our efforts to be recognised and appreciated. Make sure that you are
taking concrete steps to show your team that you truly value them as people. Let them know you are grateful for all the hard work that they put into advancing the
mission and meeting the needs of others.
Awards ceremonies, perks, rewards and letters of appreciation can all go a long way to show your team just how
important they are to you and your organisation. While many nonprofits run on
the proverbial shoestring budget, it’s important to avoid the tendency to substitute
perks and recognition for comparable compensation.
For your paid staff and volunteers, offer a
living wage that’s in line with what others in comparable fields and positions
pay. Whether other members of your team are paid or unpaid, make sure that
they have all the resources that they need to do their jobs well. Invest in replacing outdated systems and
upgrading critical infrastructure. Offer updated training and use innovative
technologies to reduce the strain and workload on your teams.
Truly honoring your team’s contribution to
your organisation is about more than offering a token acknowledgement; it’s
about being realistic about the demands that are placed on them. Give them everything they need to perform well including public recognition, realistic wages, current information and equipment.
