Strategies to help nonprofit staff stay engaged

Photo credit: Styled Stock Society

We all know that it's more than just getting your employees to turn up on time every morning when it comes to productivity. It's about keeping them motivated, satisfied, and engaged in the critical work you are doing. 

Fortunately, nonprofit leaders can incorporate simple strategies to ensure employees stay focused and work towards your goals that move your mission forward. 

Show them how they are making a difference 

One of the ways that nonprofits have an advantage over for-profit organizations is that they tend to be directly involved with doing good in the world. This advantage is excellent news for any organization looking to keep its team engaged and motivated! 

Of course, it can be challenging to keep that purpose and drive front and center every day of the week. Mundane work tasks like conference calls and reports get in the way, and employees tend to need reminding about their work's impact on the community around them. 

Skip the statistics and graphs on most days and instead humanize what your work is achieving through personal stories and relevant photos. There's a time to show impact through data, but in most cases, single stories will move more employees than large numbers through the lens of data. 

Ask board members to write short thank you notes to each team member twice a year. Even this small gesture can help employees feel more valuable, and it reminds your nonprofit’s board that the real magic is the power of teamwork.

Fair and reasonable compensation matters

There's a prevailing myth that nonprofit employees don't expect to get paid well, and entire movements are dedicated to debunking this idea. To keep employees in any organization motivated, they need to be compensated fairly for their efforts. 

Compensation extends far beyond the paycheck, however. Generous benefits like paid time off, sick leave, flexible work hours, conference learning opportunities, and the chance to hone new skills are all ways compensation methods that nonprofit leaders should consider. 

Mental wellbeing and safety in the workplace are equally important. More and more employees expect to work in inclusive environments where they feel safe and valued. 

While this might include a morning yoga session before the workday begins or meetings outside, it's also about basic safety. 

Keeping up with OSHA regulations is not a "corporate" thing -- nonprofits must use all of the resources available to make sure equipment like office elevators, stairways, and balconies are safe environments for everyone. You can learn more about this here. 

Encourage a healthy work-life balance 

Finally, when we are in the business of helping other people, it can be very easy to push past our boundaries and demand more extended hours and less flexibility in the name of "nonprofit work."

But, of course, over time, this means employees are more likely to get burned out and be forced to leave organizations before their ready. 

Recent studies clearly show the impact the pandemic has had on the entire workforce. However, the effects on women are even more challenging. Balancing childcare, virtual schooling, demanding jobs, and safety concerns have become a way of life, and many feel overwhelmed about how to keep going forward. 

Often, nonprofit work can exacerbate these conditions due to the stressful nature of the work -- constantly putting the needs of others ahead of your own. 

To that end, nonprofit leaders must encourage their employees at all levels to have a healthy work-life balance. Things you can do to facilitate this include offering flexible work hours and locations, paid holidays, generous time off. 

Don’t assume your team knows their work matters. Instead, take the time to listen to their feedback, understand what they need, and decide as a team how everyone can stay engaged with the work and healthy at the same time.

Until next time,

Andrea

One Nine Design is a digital marketing company helping small businesses and nonprofits learn how to use their website and email list to grow their reach and make a bigger impact!

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