1. Motivation
Motivating and
keeping quality employees is something nonprofit CEOs face regularly. So, hiring
people who are loyal to your organization is one thing, but maintaining production
value and retaining those go-getters is something else. Here are some tips.
- Talent Selection.
If you have the right hiring practices in place you will hire the
most suitable, highly talented people for you organization.
- Achievement
Support. Making sure that employees understand what is it that's
expected of them -- performance expectations, against what will
they be measured, what are their goals and objectives.
- Learning and
Professional Growth. Managers must provide employees with opportunities
to grow within the organization, whether it is through outside
course work or merely providing them with more skills so that they
can do their job better.
 2.
Recruitment
Recruitment
of quality staff is something nonprofits face, both small and large.
With the turnover rate in the sector being so high, retaining people
can be impossible at times. Developing hiring practices that enable
you to retain quality employees is vital to keeping exemplary staff.
Following is a
list of hiring strategies to get the best employees.
- Talent is the
new catchphrase to describe employees. And, it's even a way to
lump volunteers and employees together.
- Get the talent
to develop a strong loyalty to the organization because loyalty
quite often results in more productive work and revenue growth.
- If you hold
on to your best employees that usually means that you hold on to
your best clients.
- When searching
for that talented, loyal employee make sure they have the proper
mix of skills (experience) and passion. If that passion even wanes
the organization is not getting the most out of that employee.
3.
The Work/Life Equilibrium
Employees
appreciate a schedule that can adapt to their personal lives, and more
nonprofits are offering programs to accommodate workers. Before instituting
any new work-life or absence control programs, research firm CCH Inc.
in Riverwoods, Ill. suggests organizations to do some research first.
- Ask Why. Analyze
the reasons for enhancing your existing lineup of programs. What
will be the effect on your bottom line?
- Define Objectives.
If you add a program, make sure you have a specific objective,
that the results can be measured, and that you have the tools with
which to measure them.
- Ask Questions
and Analyze Answers. Don't go forward without asking for input
and gathering as much information as possible. Should you target
a particular business unit or department for improvement? Are you
making assumptions about the type of program your employees need?
Do you know what barriers are keeping them away from the workplace?
Consider surveying your workforce.
- Anticipate Issues.
Planning is crucial. Think the new program all the way through.
Identify what program implementation and maintenance will cost
and how they will be handled. Verify what administrative and technology
resources are needed. Develop a solid and ongoing communication
plan.
- Measure and Follow-Up.
Measure whether your objectives were met and formulize a follow-up
mechanism to ensure that the investment got the desired results.
Recognize that you may have to change or tweak programs over time
to meet evolving employee needs.
4.
More Unemployment Tax Tips
Here
are tips to determine if your nonprofit can save unemployment costs
by opting out of the State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) tax system.
- Conduct a tax
analysis of your organization's unemployment costs by calling your
state taxing body and getting a copy of your tax contribution rate
for the past three years. Compare those figures with the actual
amount you would have paid in unemployment insurance benefits to
former employees over the same period.
- Compare your
average unemployment rate with your state's to get a rough estimate
of possible over payment. State unemployment rates are updated
monthly on the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site: www.bls.gov.
- Know your organization's
status. If you anticipate a high number of layoffs or terminations
in the coming years, stay in the SUI tax system.
- A reimbursement
program is cost efficient for nonprofits that employ at least 10,
operate with at least a $1 million budget and are diversely funded.
5.
Beating The "Blue Flu"
Are you
finding that your office has been left barren by a sudden epidemic
of Hydatid disease? Chances are it's simply employees playing a little
hooky unless your staff has recently made a mass vacation exodus to
the sheep-herding countries where the disease is prevalent.
Whether they are
caused by stress, family issues or an entitlement mentality, if unscheduled
absences are a problem for your organization try these ideas from
researcher CCH Incorporated in Riverwood, Ill., to enhance your absence
control programs:
- Publish a list
of company holidays in your employee newsletter. Encourage employees
to "clip and save" the list.
- Consider giving
each employee a personal planning calendar, noting important dates,
such as holidays, pay days and daylight-saving time reminders.
- Remind each
employee at the beginning of each year how much vacation time or
paid time off the employee will have available during the year.
Emphasize any restrictions on the leave and the need, when possible,
to arrange the time away from work in advance.
- Communicate
how much unscheduled absences cost your organization and how abusing
leave programs impacts the organizations and co-workers.
- Support the
supervisors responsible for approving leave by providing training,
guidelines, communications and easy-to-administer documentation
and notice processes.
- Review the
company's leave policies periodically. Are they getting the job
done?
- Prepare for
an emergency. If weather or other emergencies occur, have a system
in place for notifying workers whether to report for work, or other
important notifications. You may wish to have a recorded calling
number (make sure workers have the telephone number in advance),
as well as an online presence accessible.
6.
It's Your Career, Use It Wisely
Staying
ahead of the game is essential for maximizing one’s potential
for success in any career. There are a number of methods those in the
nonprofit sector should keep in mind to achieve a successful and rewarding
career.
- Change jobs once
in a while. You’ll keep yourself fresh, as well as change
your perspective.
- Network. Don’t
rule out contacts that are not involved directly with your current
duties.
- Care about your
cause.
- Join a professional
association and get involved. It’s a good way to make contacts
and get name recognition.
- Keep your resume
up to date. Have different versions of your resume available so
you are prepared for various opportunities.
- Dress well. Fernando
Lamas said, “It’s better to look good than to feel
good,” but if you look good, you’ll feel good too.
- Keep your skills
current. Read up on current affairs, attend conferences and be
on the lookout for new trends and technologies.
- Never burn a bridge.
- Develop professional
relationships with volunteers. They can be a great source for references
and referrals.
- Formulate a career
game plan. You can’t get what you want until you know what
you want.
- Don’t resist
the right lateral move. Moving sideways can often lead to moving
ahead.
- Find a mentor.
It helps develop partnerships and friendships.
- Develop your one-to-one
solicitation skills.
7.
Finding Good People
Recruitment of quality
staff is something nonprofits face, both small and large. With the turnover
rate in the sector being so high, retaining people can be impossible
at times. Developing hiring practices that enable you to retain quality
employees is vital to keeping exemplary staff.
Following is a
list hiring strategies to get the best employees.
- Talent is the
new catchphrase to describe employees. And, it’s even a way
to lump volunteers and employees together.
- Get the talent
to develop a strong loyalty to the organization because loyalty
quite often results in more productive work and revenue growth.
- If you hold
on to your best employees that usually means that you hold on to
you best clients.
- When searching
for that talented, loyal employee make sure they have the proper
mix of skills (experience) and passion. If that passion even wanes
the organization is not getting the most out of that employee.
8.
Labor Laws... Are you complying?
Ignorance isn't
bliss when the Feds come knocking at your door about labor law violations.
Although experts said few nonprofits knowingly violate the Fair Labor
Standards Act (FLSA), when they do, it's because of ignorance or
misunderstanding.
Remember it's the
employers' responsibility to know and comply with such laws.
Following are a
few steps to keep compliance in check;
- Enlist at least
one employee to learn about FLSA.
- Review the classification
of employees. For example, if an exempt employee spends more than
20 percent performing non-exempt duties that person may be misidentified.
- Review your
personal policies.
- Review your
record keeping policy. FLSA requires that you keep accurate payroll
records for three years.
- Review your
overtime policy. Commissions, bonuses and on-call pay are a few
factors of an employee's overtime pay rate.
- Look closely
at any independent contractors. FLSA is very clear about conditions
workers must meet to be considered an independent contractor.
- Identify any
minors and make sure your complying with child labor laws.
- Review your
volunteer policy. You should have a written volunteer policy and
agreement.
9. Diversity
planning in the giving process
Utilizing diversity
in fundraising can be a valuable tool. With that in mind, however,
management consultants Maria Gitin and Charles R. Stephens advised
attendees at an international conference on fundraising that certain
principles have been proven true.
For example, most "minority" donors
give to causes to which they volunteer time as well as money. A full
50 percent of these gifts go to religion-based causes. And, demonstrating
what a project does for a donor's "people" or "our
community" is essential to involving the previously uninvolved.
Recommended steps
in the use of diversity in fundraising are:
- Identification
of prospects who have capacity, interest and linkage. The most
well-known members of a particular group are the most sought after.
Gain access to them, as well as to lesser-known but equally qualified
people.
- Qualification
of prospects. Comfort in talking about money and wealth vary from
culture to culture. Do not attempt cross-cultural fundraising without
participation from a member of the group you are trying to reach.
- Development
of Strategy. Get to know your prospects and let them tell you how
they like to be asked.
- Cultivation.
One way to cultivate donors is to honor them or feature them as
speakers in advance of further involvement.
- Solicitation.
Encourage but do not force or embarrass anyone. Provide training
for volunteers.
- Follow-up. Not
everyone likes plaques and attention. Ask, don't assume.
- Stewardship.
All donors want to know how their gift made a difference.
- Renewal and
upgrade. If you are involving new donors and are unsure of their
capacity, go slowly in the upgrade.
10. Investigating
harrassment complaints
In her book "Discipline" in
the HR How-to series published by CCHKnowledgePoint, Joyce B. Gentry
offers several general guidelines for conducting a sexual harassment
investigation. They include:
- Prompt response.
Conduct a thorough and prompt investigation. Begin the investigation
as soon as possible, preferably immediately. The quicker the response,
the lower the risk of liability. Unnecessarily delaying an investigation
traumatizes an organization.
- Investigator's
identity. Determine whether an independent investigator is needed.
When a high-level executive is accused, the independence of the
investigation may be questioned in litigation.
- Multiple incidents.
If there is more than one allegation, treat each incident separately.
- Investigate
all claims. Although a claim may appear on the surface to be frivolous,
treat it as valid until you have established otherwise.
- No reprisals.
Communicate with interview subjects -- inform them of the purpose
of the questioning, assure them that there will be no reprisal
for their participation, and obtain participation on a voluntary
basis.
- Documentation.
Develop a complete and accurate written record of the investigation.
Take careful notes during all interviews. Try to obtain written,
signed statements from the accuser, accused and witnesses. Retain
any other documentation or evidence acquired during the investigation.
- Limited access
to information. Keep the investigation and the facts that it uncovers
under a strict need-to-know basis. Emphasize to all the need to
keep proceeding confidential.
11. Picking your
next fundraiser
Nonprofits should
be thorough in seeking new development personnel. Instead of relying
too heavily on the merits of a resume, ask questions during the interview
that reveal an applicant's personality and problem solving skills.
A few sample questions
include:
- What policies
and/or procedures did you find distasteful in your last job?
- Describe an
experience when you coordinated the work of subordinates who disliked
one another.
- How would you
know within the first three months after joining our organization
whether you have made the right choice?
- Describe your
decision-making process.
- What changes
have you introduced in your area of responsibility at your current
job?
- Tell me about
someone who did not perform effectively on a responsibility you
delegated.
- How did you
manage yourself on a specific occasion when you were frustrated?
- Describe a time
when a work-related issue tested your coping skills. How did you
react?
12. Funding a fundraiser
Nonprofits should
be thorough in seeking new development personnel. Instead of relying
too heavily on the merits of a resume, ask questions during the interview
that reveal an applicant's personality and problem solving skills.
A few sample questions
include:
- What policies
and/or procedures did you find distasteful in your last job?
- Describe an
experience when you coordinated the work of subordinates who disliked
one another.
- How would you
know within the first three months after joining our organization
whether you have made the right choice?
- Describe your
decision-making process.
- What changes
have you introduced in your area of responsibility at your current
job?
- Tell me about
someone who did not perform effectively on a responsibility you
delegated.
- How did you
manage yourself on a specific occasion when you were frustrated?
- Describe a time
when a work-related issue tested your coping skills. How did you
react?
13. Human Resources - Both style and substance
Good leadership
is a pillar of any organization, but you should remember that each
leader has a personal style. Charlotte Rhodes, director of development
for Baylor College of Medicine, noted at a conference on fundraising
that there are personal style indicators that can help leaders learn
more about themselves.
There are three
main areas in which to begin self-exploration.
- Focusing attention
-- Those who gravitate toward extraversion are attuned to the external
environment, communicate by talking, learn through doing or discussing,
have a breadth of interests, speak first and reflect later, are
sociable and expressive and take the initiative in work and relationships.
Those who prefer
introversion communicate by writing, learn best by reflection or "mental
practice," have a depth of interest, reflect before acting or
speaking, are private and contained and focus readily.
- Taking in information
-- One way is by sensing, which means: focus on what it real and
practical, value practical applications, notice details or be factual
and concrete, observe and remember sequentially, be present-oriented,
want information step by step and trust experience.
The other way is
by intuition, meaning: focus on "big picture" possibilities,
value imaginative insight, be abstract and theoretical, see patterns
and meanings in facts, be future oriented, leap in anywhere and trust
inspiration.
- Making decisions
-- The thinking type is analytical, is a logical problem-solver,
uses abstract cause-and-effect reasoning, is "tough-minded," strives
for an impersonal objective truth and is reasonable and fair.
The feeling type
is sympathetic, assesses the effect of a decision on people, is guided
by personal values, is "tender-hearted," strives for harmony
and individual validation and is compassionate and accepting.
14. Knowledge
management is possible
The concept of
knowledge management has undergone many changes, including enjoying
a period of favor followed by one of disfavor while it was linked
to the dot-com boom and bust.
In her chapter
on the work of knowledge management, in the book Leading Organizational
Learning , edited by Marshall Goldsmith, Howard Morgan and Alexander
J. Ogg, organizational expert Margaret J. Wheatley acknowledges that
the concept may have problems, but she counters with principles that
can facilitate knowledge management and make it work for an organization.
These principles
are:
- Knowledge
is created by human beings. It is necessary, therefore, to stop
thinking of people as machines and attend to human needs and dynamics.
Refocus attention on the organizational conditions that support
people, foster relationships and give people time to think and
reflect.
- It is natural
for people to create and share knowledge. Study after study has
shown that people are motivated by work that provides growth, recognition,
meaning and good relationships.
- Everybody is
a knowledge worker. If everybody is assumed to be creating knowledge,
the organization takes responsibility for supporting all its workers,
not just a select few.
- People choose
to share their knowledge. People willingly share if they feel committed
to the organization, believe their leaders are worth supporting,
feel encouraged to participate and learn and value their colleagues.
- Knowledge
management is not about technology. Technical solutions don't solve
a thing if the human dimension is ignored.
15. Stress
reduction for the workplace
Stress can affect
anyone on the job, and if ignored it can lead to serious problems,
both for the individual and for that person's employer. Fundraising
professional Ted. R. Grossnickle, writing in Lilya Wagner's Careers
in Fundraising, has listed three warning signs that stress is
gaining control of a person's life:
- Irritability.
Are people or things that you used to take in stride starting to
annoy you? Do you find more and more aspects of your job unduly
frustrating? Are you quick to anger?
- Loss of concentration.
Are even simple tasks difficult to complete? Are you increasingly
forgetful? Has making a decision become agonizing work?
- Loss of perspective.
Are you losing sight of your goals and getting stuck on unimportant
details? Are you forgetting how your work affects others - and
how theirs affects yours?
- For anyone
experiencing these warning signs -- or being cautioned by others
-- there are four basic steps to regain balance.
- Prioritize.
You probably can't meet all the demands placed on you, so don't
try.
- Get enough
sleep. In the long run, skimping on rest to "get more done" will
only reduce productivity.
- Exercise.
If you do not have time, find time. A brisk 15-minute walk at lunch
will give enormous benefits in terms of stress relief and mental
clarity.
- Take time
for yourself. This is not "wasted time" -- it is self-renewal.
Make a commitment to yourself to pursue your favorite hobby, play
sports or read a good book.
16. The skills
of a fundraisers
Not surprisingly,
the ability to flourish in a fundraising atmosphere involves certain
traits that can be observed or detected. In her book Careers in
Fundraising, Lilya Wagner maintained that there are 10 broad
categories of skills and characteristics that are necessary for success
in the area of fundraising.
The 10 categories
are:
- Professional
competence and technical skill. The ability to write clearly and
manage time effectively, crucial in many professions, are no less
important in fundraising.
- Ability and
motivation to learn. Fundraising is a dynamic process, and best
practices change frequently.
- Human relations
skills. It goes beyond good communication skills. It means sensitivity
and being able to accept suggestions and criticism.
- Creativity.
Professionals cannot afford to become stagnant.
- Leadership.
This does not mean just having a top position. It means being able
to motivate and influence others, to provide expertise and advice,
even from the middle of an organization.
- Ability to
command respect and self-confidence. Self-esteem and self-confidence
project to others.
- A positive
outlook and vision. A successful fundraiser maintains and shares
a vision.
- Honesty and
integrity. It takes courage and character to maintain standards
of ethical conduct.
- Adaptability,
flexibility and perseverance. These are vital to fundraising success.
- The courage
to fail. Everything new and worthwhile entails risk of failure.
Failure is not fatal.
17. Have a
personnel policy in place
The hiring and
retention of the best people is a given for any organization. Organizations
express their desire to have a workforce of bright, dedicated individuals,
but many never progress beyond that phase.
In her book Human
Resource Policies and Procedures for Nonprofit Organizations,
Carol L. Barbeito maintains that the best practice for getting
and keeping good people begins with a human resource philosophy
statement. This specifically states the values and practices that
guide the development of the organization's human resource management
system.
The elements of
the statement are:
-
Policy. This
should include a listing of the organization's values, both outside
and within. Also, it must include a rundown of what is to be
accomplished by the organization's personnel policies.
-
Recruiting. Identifies
what qualities are to be sought in prospective employees. If
the organizations tries to promote from within, this should be
stated clearly. There should be a policy supporting and encouraging
professional development.
-
Compensation. This
states the criteria for setting compensation and whether employees
will be rewarded for excellence in some way.
-
Benefits. If
benefits are an important part of the employees' compensation,
this fact should be made clear.
-
Performance
management and training. If
there is a performance management process, this should be stated,
but measures may vary based on the level or nature of the job.
-
Communications. There
should be a commitment to open and free communication.
-
Human resources
program administration. It should be made explicit if the
organization will have policy guidelines and what they are.
18. Seeking
a diverse workplace attitude
Diversity is a
large and growing issue for nonprofits, from increasing diversity
on boards and paid staff and volunteers to being aware of diverse
needs among client populations.
In their book Leading
Diverse Communities, Cherie R. Brown and George J Mazza offer
several working principles for making the quest for diversity a
positive and rewarding experience.
Among these principles
are the following:
- Guilt is the
glue that holds prejudice in place. Many diversity programs rely
on guilt and blame to motivate people to change their attitudes.
Appreciation leads to action, condemnation to paralysis. Condemning
people, shaming them, and making them feel guilty are all unproductive
strategies. They increase defensiveness rather than creating an
opening for change.
- Welcoming
diversity means every person counts and every issue counts. Just
as it is important to be welcoming of people from minority groups,
it is also necessary to be aware of the contributions of members
of majority groups. Sometimes this may begin with getting people
to recognize their discriminatory patterns, but it includes an
appreciation of all contributions.
- Treating everyone
the same may be unintentionally oppressive. While it is important
to treat everyone as an individual, it is also important to remember
that many people have been mistreated as members of a minority
group. There is no way we can know about the experience of others
without asking.
19. Doing
better background checks
Criminal history
checks are important tools for risk management and another necessary
item for nonprofit managers to keep in mind. One way of conducting
such checks is through private vendors specializing in such work.
According to the
Nonprofit Risk Management Center, when an organization uses a third-party
vendor to conduct criminal history record checks, the resulting report
is considered a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Under this, applicants have certain rights and prospective employers
have certain responsibilities.
These include:
- Employers
must provide written notice that a background check will be performed.
- Applicants
must give written permission for the check to be done.
- If disqualifying
information is found, the employer must give the applicant a pre-adverse
action disclosure that includes a copy of the consumer report and
a copy of "A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting
Act" a document that is prescribed by the Federal Trade Commission.
If adverse action
is taken, the employer must furnish the applicant with:
- The name,
address and telephone number of the vendor that supplied the report;
- A statement
that the vendor that supplied the report did not make the decision
about the adverse action;
- A notice of
the individual's right to dispute the accuracy or completeness
of the report and the right to an additional free consumer report
from the agency upon request within 60 days.
20. Making
dismissals immediate
Although terminating
an employee is never a pleasant task, it is one that is sometimes
necessary. Further, in some cases there are offenses for which immediate
dismissal, rather than procedural policies, will be necessary.
In her book "Human
Resource Policies and Procedures for Nonprofit Organizations," Carol
L. Barbeito mentions several offenses that in her opinion warrant
immediate dismissal. These are:
- Theft, including
but not limited to, the removal of company property or the property
of another staff member from company premises without prior authorization;
- Drugs/alcohol
possession, use, sale, purchase, or distribution on organization
property. Also, reporting to work after having ingested alcohol
or illegal drugs, and in a condition that adversely affects the
employee's ability to perform his or her job functions or that
would imperil the safety of other staff members;
- Falsifying or
altering records;
- Sabotaging or
willfully damaging organization equipment or the property of others;
- Walking off the
job without supervisory permission;
- Insubordination
involving, but not limited to, defaming, assaulting or threatening
to assault a supervisor and refusing to carry out the order of
a supervisor where personal safety is not a problem;
- Fighting or provoking
a fight on company premises;
- Absence for three
consecutive working days without notice to the organization, in
which case the employee will be deemed to have quit voluntarily;
- Carrying concealed
weapons on organization property.
21. Communicating
employees' expectations
Want to get more
out of your employees? Make sure they know what you expect of them.
Joan Pastor, president of JPA International, a management and organizational
development company, gave the following tips during a recent accounting
conference:
- The manager is
100 percent accountable for the employee understanding the communication.
- Check with employees
to make sure they understand what is expected.
- Messages that
explain why an employee is expected to behave or perform in a particular
manner are more readily understood and acted on.
- Mutually set expectations
are more likely to be met.
- Formally document
the performance that is expected.
Does the employee
have the necessary skills is another important question, according
to Pastor. Pastor suggested setting up a training program that verifies
skills have been mastered. To create a simple yet effective training
program, Pastor gave the following tips:
- List the knowledge,
skills and experience needed to be successful in a job.
- Determine the
person best suited to do the training.
- Trainee must verify
they have mastered the skill.
- Trainer should
sign off to verify training took place.
- The manager should
sign off that an adequate level of skill has been reached.
- Place the sign
off file in employee's file for further reference.
22. Compensation - Incentive pay at nonprofits
Innovation has been
a hallmark of nonprofit operation from long ago, and that approach
can also be used when it comes to financial compensation for employees.
In her book Human
Resource Policies and Procedures for Nonprofit Organizations, Carol
L. Barbeito offered several suggestions for incentive pay, out-of-the
ordinary forms of recognizing and rewarding performance. One form
of course is the bonus, which many nonprofits do realize they are
allowed to award.
There are others,
however:
Individual
incentives. These are cash awards to recognize achievement
of predetermined performance objectives.
Team or group
incentives. These are the same as individual incentives
but are based on a team's or group's achievement.
Gain sharing. These
awards represent the employees' share of the gains of actual results
achieved against pre-established operational goals.
Spot awards. These
are cash payments that provide immediate recognition of accomplishments
by staff below the managerial level. They are intended to reward
risk taking, creativity and productivity.
Special cash
recognition. These cash awards are used to recognize contributions
of staff below a specified managerial level. They usually are granted
on a discretionary basis to employees who demonstrate exceptional
sustained or one-time effort performance.
Special non-cash
recognition. Used for staff below the managerial level,
they include merchandise, a gift certificate or the like.
Lump sum
increases . Cash payments are made in a single lump sum
to recognize performance achievements.
Skill-based
pay/pay for knowledge. This pay is given to reward acquisition
of additional job-related skills and capabilities.
23. Ways to control unemployment costs
"Unemployment regulations
have gotten so complex over the years that it is difficult for most
nonprofits, large and small, to keep pace with these changes," wrote
Paul Fountain, director of National Trust Programs Joint Agencies'
Trust through the unemployment company TALX UCeXpress in Phoenix,
Ariz.
Fountain along with
Ron Lawson, director of the Northeast Region for the Joint Agencies'
Trust in New York City, prepared a report presented at a recent AICPA
conference.
When it comes to
options for paying for state taxes, nonprofits have two choices;
they can either pay the state tax rate based on experience or pay
on wage basis. The national average employer's pay $2.20 in taxes
for every $1 paid in benefits.
According to the
report there are three reimbursing options for a 501(c)(3):
Pay dollar for
dollar for benefits paid by state to former employees;
Pay state quarterly — amount
varies according to unemployment activity; and,
Responsible for
any benefits paid by state.
There are several
ways that an organization's human resources department can help keep
unemployment costs down. Fountain and Lawson wrote that HR can verify
separation, formulate a technically precise response, and respond
to all further employment department inquires. During the appeals
process HR can verify the claim record, verify qualifications for
the benefit, and protest incorrect charges and follow-up to assure
removal of the charge.
It is also important
for HR to keep up with any changes in the state unemployment code
and update staff training in the code changes.
24. The
investigated have rights, too
Criminal history
checks are important tools for risk management and another necessary
item for nonprofits to keep in mind. One way of conducting such checks
is through private vendors specializing in such work.
According to the
Nonprofit Risk Management Center, when an organization uses a third-party
vendor to conduct criminal history record checks, the resulting report
is considered a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Under this, applicants have certain rights and prospective employers
have certain responsibilities.
These include:
- Employers must
provide written notice that a background check will be performed.
- Applicants must
give written permission for the check to be done.
- If disqualifying
information is found, the employer must give the applicant a pre-adverse
action disclosure that includes a copy of the consumer report and
a copy of "A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting
Act," a document that it prescribed by the Federal Trade Commission.
If adverse action
is taken, the employer must furnish the applicant with:
- The name, address
and telephone number of the vendor that supplied the report;
- A statement that
the vendor that supplied the report did not make the decision about
the adverse action;
A notice of the individual's
right to dispute the accuracy or completeness of the report and the
right to an additional free consumer report from the agency upon
request within 60 days.
25. Developing
a policy and procedures manual
Your policies and
procedures manual is a set of documents that defines your organization's
guidelines for employee behavior (policies) and describes the methods
used to implement those policies (procedures). A policies and procedures
manual will help you keep your development data clean and can also
be an essential human resources tool.
According to Anthony
J. Powell, CFRE, vice president of consulting services at Blackbaud
in Charleston, S.C., here are 10 tips for creating a manual for your
nonprofit:
- Include job descriptions
for everyone in your organization. What jobs must be done? * How
should they be done? Who should do them?
- Plan for contingencies.
What happens to daily procedures when someone is sick, on vacation,
or leaves the organization?
- Pull together
all existing documentation, both formal and informal. Be sure to
either respect or refute -- but not simply ignore -- any preceding
standards.
- Establish and
record important database administration information, such as your
security policy and backup procedure.
- Formalize your
data entry procedures. What fields must always contain data? What
format do you use for titles, salutations and addresses? How do
you code constituents?
- Include a reports
section, listing your weekly, monthly, and annual reports and their
parameters.
- Involve everyone
in the process. Divide the manual into logical sections and allow
time for each department to review and buy in. Identify individuals
to maintain each section.
- Once the document
is complete, get approval from your Board. Then to assist in human
resource issues, ask employees to sign an acknowledgement form
and keep it on file.
- Work with your
technology staff to add your finished policies and procedures manual
to your Intranet or network and save a shortcut to it on every
desktop.
Remember to update
your manual when a new situation arises. It can only be effective
as a living, relevant document!
26. Your
personnel policy
The hiring and retention of the best people
is a given for any organization. Organizations express their desire
to have a workforce of bright, dedicated individuals, but many never
progress beyond that phase. In her book Human Resource Policies
and Procedures for Nonprofit Organizations, Carol L. Barbeito
maintained that the best practice for getting and keeping good people
begins with a human resource philosophy statement. This specifically
states the values and practices that guide the development of the
organization's human resource management system.
The elements of the statement are:
- Policy. This should include a listing
of the organization's values, both outside and within. Also, it
must include a rundown of what is to be accomplished by the organization's
personnel policies.
- Recruiting. Identifies what qualities
are to be sought in prospective employees. If the organizations
tries to promote from within, this should be stated clearly. There
should be a policy supporting and encouraging professional development.
- Compensation. States what will be the
criteria for setting compensation and whether employees will be
rewarded for excellence in some way.
- Benefits. If benefits are an important
part of the employees' compensation, this fact should be made clear.
- Performance management and training.
If there is a performance management process, this should be stated,
but measures may vary based on the level or nature of the job.
- Communications. There should be a commitment
to open and free communication.
- Human resources program administration.
It should be made explicit if the organization will have policy
guidelines and what they are.
27. Keeping
employees satisfied
Much has been written about improving
nonprofit operations by enhancing cooperation between departments.
In his book Marketing Management
for Nonprofit Organizations, Adrian Sargeant argues that the
key to such improvement lies in what he calls "internal marketing" --
an approach that places a value on high morale among employees
as a means of both better operations within and better operations
outside, because happy workers deliver better services. If employees
are happy working with each other, it will show, and they will
perform better.
The equation is this: satisfied employees
= satisfied customers.
In other words, the quality of employee
interaction is strongly correlated with perceived external service
quality.
To achieve this satisfaction, there are
certain facts that should be true about an organization. With them,
quality, and perceived quality, of services reaches high levels.
- Employees feed back information to
management in respect of customer requirements.
- Management and staff pool their expertise
to match service specifications to the needs of the target customer
groups.
- Staff are encouraged to deliver to
the service standards set by the organization and, moreover, receive
the support of their colleagues, where necessary, to do so.
- Staff are kept regularly informed of
the content of external communications and have the opportunity
to feed back their views on the same to management.
28. Elements of a diversity plan
Although most people have heard of diversity
and make a commitment to putting it into practice, many managers
are unsure that they are putting the best diversity practices into
operation.
Diversity Officer, a Special Report
from Diversity Best Practices, offers the 14 elements that are necessary
for a "Best in Class" diversity report.
- A strong senior diversity officer with
key staff support.
- Commitment from CEOs, boards of directors
and top management. There must be commitment and an understanding
of the effect diversity has on the bottom line.
- Drive for the Business Case and engagement
of the "C Suite" and business units. The diversity officer is not
relegated to a broom closet in the basement but has access to top-level
decision makers.
- A executive diversity council that reviews
broader diversity goals and measures progress regularly.
- Integrated organization operating under
a cross-functional model. Diversity is applied throughout the organization
in processes as well as appointments.
- A strategic program with measurable, quantifiable
goals.
- Measurement and benchmarking systems.
- Innovation.
- Innovative training and education.
- Communications initiatives.
- Multicultural marketing for those with
customer base and all those with suppliers.
- Community and philanthropy ties.
- Supplier diversity.
- Globalization.
29. Making
staff diversity a priority
As the concept of diversity grows and evolves,
many nonprofits are taking steps to make diversity part of their
institutional culture. Many larger organizations are establishing
a diversity officer, sometimes as part of other responsibilities
and sometimes as a separate position.
Kay Hoogland, vice president and corporate
director for global diversity for Motorola, offers a few guideposts
for those who may find themselves coming into the position of diversity
officer:
- Assess where diversity is in your company.
Make it a candid assessment. Window dressing does not help the
organization.
- Learn from others inside and outside the
company. Listening to your own team should come first.
- Determine whom to trust. Solicitations
invitations and messages will come flooding in. Exercise in determining
who and what can add value.
- Find reliable data sources. Managers won't
accept "It's the fight thing to do."
- Resist the temptation to immediately adopt
new programs. Look around first.
- Ensure that you draw your support from
a diverse set of disciplines across the company. Don't let diversity
be just a human resources program.
- Protect and leverage your credibility.
The way you communicate your observations is key.
- Get into the rooms where decisions are
being made. Be in the critical decision path.
- Keep your door open. Wide open.
- Put yourself out there. Progress is not
made without taking risks.
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