Nonprofits often focus on advancing their mission, but part of that also includes finding ways to support employees. An organization that works ethically adheres to sound organizational processes and nurtures its employees. The following are 6 ways organizations can support their employees:

1. There is a Strategic Management Plan to support employees that are consistently revisited on a schedule by all of the senior leadership and it is used in all management practices. 

This assures employees that their work is building towards a stronger organization and contributing to the big-picture objectives that the organization wants to advance in order to achieve its mission. 

2. Plans and strategies are always modified when the environment changes or the needs of the people the organization serves change.

Often, when organizations begin their implementation phase for their programs, they find unanticipated obstacles or changes in the landscape that did not exist when a program was conceptualized. Strong organizations quickly assess the landscape and pivot to better serve their target populations. They are also transparent about any changes and communicate them to all relevant stakeholders. This includes all staff working on the project, so they know how to adjust their work. It also includes funders, so they understand the new strategy and why it is important. Furthermore, there is a formal process in place to consistently assess if changes are needed to update most systems or programs that are on a regular schedule

3. All employees have a copy of an updated HR Manual. 

This manual includes a brief outline of the organization’s history and structure, organizational structure, mission and vision, compensation and benefits policies, and general policies and procedures. This also includes a Whistleblower policy and how to identify and report conflicts of interest. This helps employees understand their duties and their rights. 

4. The policies and procedures of the organization are consistently adhered to and applied to all staff/ board members and/or volunteers. 

This contributes to staff understanding what standards they have to comply with and the consequences of non-compliance. It also helps to ensure that the employees do not feel that there is an environment where people play favorites and that there are people who are “in” with administrators while others are in the “out-group”. This dynamic can be toxic, and the foundation for legal action against that organization. Consequently, there is a very strong culture of self-correction. Corrective plans are immediately put into place to protect employees and the ethical integrity of the organization when there are deviations from policies and procedures. 

5. There is a communications plan that is consistently implemented to ensure staff, board members, and volunteers are informed of all relevant happenings affecting their jobs or the organization. 

This helps to ensure that staff members understand what is expected of them, changes in policies and practices, updates on best practices, and all staff understand where and how decision-making takes place in an organization.

6. There is a talent/ professional development plan that is consistently implemented in planning and management strategies to support employees. 

Changes in expectations are communicated to all staff in real-time. Furthermore, all staff and/or volunteers receive feedback and an opportunity to improve. The organization also demonstrates its commitment to helping employees achieve excellence through talent development for all employees. As a result, there is a very high staff retention rate.  

Share How You Support Employees

Please share with us your experiences. How has your organization supported its employees?

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Here at Capacity Building and Policy Experts, LLC, we promote a nonprofit management system that we have patented that we call "Working ETHOS", which stands for Ethics, Transparency, Harmony, Organizational infrastructure, and Sustainability. Do not hesitate to reach out to me for a free half-hour consultation. I am always happy to help and support you!