Keeping employees from leaving your organization
An improving job market is generally viewed as a positive
development. But for many nonprofits it can mean they have to work
harder to keep from losing their best employees.
Although it's true
that not-for-profits can't always compete with their more deep-pocketed
counterparts in the for-profit world, it's also true that workers
look for more than money and benefits in a job. By reviewing other
factors that affect employee satisfaction, you'll be better able
to retain star workers.
5 ways to keep top talent
When it comes
to retaining employees, you have to know what motivates them in
addition to salary and benefits. Meaningful work, recognition programs,
opportunities for professional growth, and positive relationships
with supervisors and co-workers are important to your staff.
Here
are five ways you can maximize the power of these intangibles to
retain employees:
1. Focus on professional development. Workers have
greater job satisfaction when they feel they're growing in their
positions. Although budgets are always tight, allocate funds so that
staff members can attend conferences and seminars. Not only do these
experiences help workers learn, but they can have an energizing effect,
helping employees return to their roles with renewed enthusiasm and
commitment.
Encourage staff members to pursue areas of interest
and build talents through internal projects. For example, if one of
your program directors has a strong interest in technology, perhaps
he or she can assist the information technology manager in upgrading
the IT infrastructure.
2. Know what motivates your best
employees. Find
out what will keep your top performers committed and productive -
and give it to them. This will help you design strategies to keep employees
happy and engaged.
Although you have limits on how much compensation
you can offer workers, you may be able to give small concessions
that will help retain key employees. It can be something as simple
as giving a staff member responsibility for an important initiative
or offering a working parent the flexibility to occasionally
leave work early for school events.
3. Be a better boss. One of the surest
ways to keep employees is to have a good relationship with them.
After all, how often do people leave a job when the supervisor
and work environment make them feel good about themselves?
It may help to think back to the best manager or mentor
you've had and what you liked about that person. Chances are, it
was not so much the qualities or knowledge the individual had that
you appreciated, but the way he or she made you feel, such as valued
or more confident in your abilities. Try to create the same feelings
in those you manage.
4. Be generous with recognition. Another
way to make employees feel appreciated is to recognize them for their
contributions. Remember that rewards don't have to be expensive to
be meaningful and effective. A simple thankyou note, a mention in your
company's newsletter or a round of applause at a meeting can go a long
way toward keeping employees happy and engaged in their jobs.
Try to
find opportunities to recognize employees individually and as a staff.
You might bring in donuts to celebrate employees' work anniversaries
or birthdays, or occasionally host pizza lunches to thank the staff
for their hard work and dedication. These small gestures can offer
big payoffs in loyalty and productivity.
5. Promote bonds among employees. Managers should foster
an atmosphere in which the organization and its people respond to significant
events in each other's lives - a birth, death, illness or marriage.
Employees tend to stay in workplaces where they have strong connections
with others and feel cared about.
Important to your organization
Although not-for-profits should always focus on keeping
their best people, it's especially important in an improving economy.
Otherwise, you may find yourself spending valuable time trying to hire
and train employees, rather than fulfilling your organization's mission.
