Resources
How to Manage Employee Turnover in Your Nonprofit
When you seek resources on how to manage employee turnover in your organization, you’re likely to find resources for how to stop turnover. That makes sense—if employees leave your nonprofit frequently after short tenures, it can be a sign that something is wrong in the organization and needs investigation. But not all turnover is bad, even when … Continued
How to Create a Concierge Experience for Job Applicants
Most of us have been “ghosted” by a prospective employer—even after a promising interview. It’s not cool, and it’s totally avoidable. The time and effort your nonprofit invests to give all job candidates a great experience will produce results. Your top candidates will be more likely to want the job, and those who aren’t selected … Continued
How to Ensure Your Nonprofit’s Culture Lives Up to Its Promise
You probably love to talk about the strength of your organization’s culture with job candidates, donors, and your board. But do employees and clients experience your organization’s culture the way you intend them to? If not, they may question whether they want to work for or with your organization. Culture might seem like a squishy … Continued
How to Be a Great Mentee
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably found a mentor, or are working to do so. Congratulations! Mentoring can help you grow as a professional and open new doors in your career and even your personal life. Here are some tips to make the most of your mentoring relationship and be a great mentee. Know what you’re looking … Continued
How to Be a Great Mentor
Mentoring a colleague or intern can be an incredibly rewarding experience for both parties; the lessons and learning from a mentorship can be beneficial to your nonprofit’s mission as well. If you’re a mentor, here are some ways to build a great relationship with your mentee. Get to know your mentee. Ask about their professional interests and … Continued
How to Create an Employee Professional Development Plan
Studies regularly show that one of the most effective ways to recruit and retain great employees is to support their professional development. Many professional development opportunities cost money, but many others cost nothing. Use this checklist to create professional development plans for each member of your team that will show how much your organization values … Continued
How to Maximize the Benefits of Hybrid Work
Many employees feel most comfortable in a hybrid work environment, where some work takes place remotely and some happen in person. The best strategy to excel in a hybrid work environment is one your team has likely used to excel in other areas: set and reiterate clear expectations, try new things, and adapt quickly when … Continued
How to Become a Pro (or at Least Get Better) at Time Management
Do you struggle to meet deadlines and complete tasks? Almost everyone can get better at time management, and even small investments can yield big rewards. Your work will improve, you’ll be less stressed, and you’ll have more time to work on the things that interest you most—or to focus on the rest of your life. … Continued
How to Experiment with a Four-Day
Many workplaces are experimenting with some version of a four-day workweek to help address issues around work-life balance, burnout, and employee retention. Research on four-day workweek trials looks promising, but also identifies challenges. Here are some things to know if you decide to explore this option. Variations on a Four-Day Workweek The 32-hour, four-day workweek: … Continued
When to Hire an Interim Executive Director
Your nonprofit’s executive director just notified the board that they will leave the organization. How do you know if you should hire an interim executive director? Here are some signs that an interim ED could be the right fit for your nonprofit. High Stress Your nonprofit is experiencing—or is recently healing from—internal turmoil. Role Confusion … Continued
How To: Tell Employees About Layoffs, Restructuring, or Cutbacks
At some point in their life cycle, many nonprofits will have to lay off employees, restructure their operations, or make other budget cutbacks. Here are tips to help you communicate the news to employees in the most humane and helpful way possible. Before Conveying Difficult News Make a plan. Determine how and when you will … Continued
An Inclusive Alternative: Turn Walking Meetings into Strolling Meetings
Wellness experts tout “walking meetings,” in which participants walk while they talk. Movement brings health benefits and can catalyze creative thinking, offset boredom, and even help foster connections among participants. But not everyone has the same level of physical ability. The Nonprofit Technology Education Network (NTEN) encourages “strolling meetings,” welcoming to walkers at all mobility … Continued
Providing Mental Wellness Support and Services to Staff at Small Nonprofits
The pandemic made clear that nonprofit employers must recognize and respond to employees’ mental health and wellness needs. It also brought to light workplace patterns that take a mental toll on teams. Learn how to provide assistance your employees value and avoid common pitfalls. Listen. Staff surveys, exit interviews, and all-staff meetings can give you … Continued
5 Superpowers of a Great HR Manager
Most of us have encountered HR managers who seemed neither human nor resourceful. Luckily, many of us have also encountered HR managers who helped us through tough situations and made us feel seen. What makes a great HR manager? Here’s a look at five superpowers the very best HR managers have.
3 Reasons Workplace Friendships Are Worth the Risk (and 3 Ways to Support Them)
“For our sake—to feel less burned out by our work (and therefore feel more energy when we’re away from work), we would be wise to foster supportive friendships at the very places where we need to protect ourselves from the effects of stress.” – Shasta Nelson, The Business of Friendship When you entered the workforce, … Continued
7 Steps to Train a New Manager
The transition from individual contributor to manager can be one of the toughest times in a person’s professional life. Leading others requires skills people might not have developed working independently. But many people can become outstanding managers. New managers’ supervisors play a huge role in their success. Here’s a seven-step plan to help the new … Continued
Simple Steps to Infuse Your HR Practices with the Platinum Rule
An often-cited maxim for how to treat people is the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. But in our diverse workplaces, our colleagues might want to be treated very differently than we do. Bring a more inclusive approach to your human resources practices by applying the Platinum Rule: … Continued
How To: Develop an Employee Mentor Program
Mentor programs can benefit employee engagement, skills development, and retention. Maybe you’ve wanted to start a mentor program at your nonprofit, but wondered where to begin. Here’s a checklist that will help you create a great mentor program to fit your nonprofit’s needs.
How To Be Age-Inclusive in Your Hiring
Age diversity can make your nonprofit team more creative and innovative. And if that’s not enough motivation, age discrimination against people over 40 is against the law.* Here are some tips to ensure your hiring is age-inclusive. Set a Foundation for Age Diversity Within Your Organization Share information about your nonprofit’s open positions widely within … Continued
Embrace Risk in Hiring and Supervision
“It is not the manager’s job to prevent risks. It’s the manager’s job to make it safe to take them.” – Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace When you hire and supervise people, there are some risks you should never take. Don’t assume payroll will take care of itself. Don’t pay someone a salary you … Continued
5 Steps to Retain More of Your Workforce
Nonprofit leaders understand that people are key to mission success. But the Great Resignation brought home for all employers the urgency to retain as many great employees as possible. No organization will ever have a 100% employee retention rate—many talented individuals will move on to new opportunities in time, as they should. But your organization … Continued
How To: Become a Menopause-Friendly Workplace
More than 50 million U.S. women are in the age bracket (42-58) when physical changes due to menopause often occur. Many of those women work in nonprofits, where they lead key projects and play crucial roles. The global economic impact of menopause on productivity and health care costs is estimated at more than $150 billion … Continued
How To: Manage Remote Employees
Whether you’re managing a remote team for the first time or the 10th, these steps can help you build connection and work with team members to reach their potential–wherever they work from.
How to: Hire and Work with Neurodivergent Employees
Neurodiversity is a concept that acknowledges and appreciates the diverse range of ways people’s brains function, including neurological differences. Those differences can include dyspraxia, dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyscalculia, autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), Tourette syndrome, and others. Some neurodiverse people identify as having a disability, while others do not. Research shows that organizations … Continued
Hiring Employees with Criminal Records: An Inclusive Approach
Many nonprofits seek to build staffs whose lived experiences mirror those of populations they serve. As part of that effort, some organizations hire employees with criminal records. Here’s what to consider to ensure you take an inclusive approach to recruiting and hiring employees with criminal records. Set goals. Why does your nonprofit want to implement a … Continued
How To: Create a Cross-Training Action Plan
Cross-training is an essential risk management function. It ensures someone in your organization can perform key tasks if the person who usually handles them is out of the office or unavailable for any reason. But cross-training has other benefits too: it can offer employees new challenges, help reduce staff turnover, and break down silos in … Continued
How Hiring Employees with Disabilities Can Benefit Your Organization
Hiring employees with disabilities brings new perspectives to your nonprofit and helps you meet the needs of the community you serve. Many resources exist to help your organization become an outstanding employer of people with disabilities. Here are some of the ways that work can benefit your nonprofit. First, the basics: Federal law requires organizations … Continued
How to Do a Compensation Review For Your Nonprofit
Compensation reviews can reveal pay equity issues at a nonprofit, or individual cases in which staff members aren’t being paid appropriately for their duties. Here’s how to do an accurate, informative, and valuable compensation review for your organization. Set goals for the review. Why is your nonprofit doing this? Do you hope to uncover and remedy … Continued
Building Meaningful Connections at Work
We spend much of our waking lives at work, but many of us have only superficial relationships there. That contributes to a broader loneliness epidemic that weighs us down and can even shorten lifespans. Connecting with colleagues doesn’t always happen easily, but the effort can benefit individuals and the organization, and make work more productive … Continued
5 Steps to Transform Performance Reviews from Dreaded Drudgery to Welcomed Opportunity
Most of us have experienced bad performance reviews: harangues about things that already happened—things we can’t change. Great performance reviews deepen an ongoing, regular conversation about performance. They are two-way conversations between a manager and an employee. And they focus on the future and how employees can reach their goals. Here are five steps to … Continued
Do You Know How Much These Nonprofit Jobs Pay?
By Rachel Sams The Great Resignation continues to play out, as more than 4 million Americans quit their jobs in November. Competitive pay isn’t all it takes to recruit and retain great nonprofit employees—but it’s essential. And inflation has impacted what it takes to make nonprofit salaries competitive. All nonprofits will need to invest time … Continued
Announcing New HR and Risk Resources
NRMC has launched a new website, https://www.risk-resources.org, full of free resources to help nonprofit organizations manage the HR and risk issues they face. Join us for a tour of the site and tips to help you improve human resources and risk management at your nonprofit in 2023. Complete a short form and view the webinar … Continued
HOW TO: Terminate an Employee (And Be Decent About It)
When you hire someone, you want them to find success with the organization. But sometimes, they don’t. Terminating someone’s employment is the riskiest action a nonprofit can take, but sometimes it’s also a risk-aware decision and possibly a necessary step in the employee’s journey to find a fulfilling role for which they are well suited. … Continued
Inclusive Hiring Strategies and Practices
Job openings at your nonprofit present a tremendous opportunity to bring in new, diverse perspectives that will strengthen your team—or to hire people who look, sound, and think just like you, and will bring your nonprofit more of the same. Here are some ways to make your hiring process more inclusive. Create a diversity recruitment … Continued
Let’s Talk About Workplace Conflict
85% of employees report having experienced some type of workplace conflict. With statistics this high, use this infographic to understand more about how ignoring conflict can lead to issues at your nonprofit. Learn practical conflict resolution tips and what type of conflict management style you and your employees use!
Ask Great Job Interview Questions
Knowing what to ask candidates can sometimes be confusing! How do you quickly learn about this person to make a decision about whether they’re the correct person for your job and your mission? Use this infographic to build your next interview question bank.
How To: Be More Inclusive in Staff Supervision
Managing other employees is one of the most important roles a leader can have. Inclusive supervision should be a top priority for nonprofit leaders who manage others. But most leaders have never been taught to do that. Here are some practices that will help. As you’ll see, your team members’ feedback will paint a picture … Continued
Create a Safe and Inclusive Workplace for Transgender Employees
Transgender people may experience discrimination in many ways, including at work. Employers have a legal and moral responsibility to accommodate the needs of transgender workers and not tolerate discrimination. Here are best practices and resources to ensure a safe and welcoming workplace for transgender employees. NOTE: keep in mind that some of the practices below … Continued
How To: Manage Across Generations
For the first time in modern history, five generations are in the workplace at the same time. This presents both opportunities and challenges. Here are some tips for how to tap into the diversity of perspectives that come from managing multiple generations, and navigating cross-generational conflicts that may arise. Remember that your employees are … Continued
How To: Make Performance Reviews Meaningful and Memorable
Most employees dread performance reviews and many managers dread giving them. But it doesn’t have to be this way! With effective preparation, a collaborative approach, and a template to guide you, performance reviews will feel more meaningful and produce better results for your organization and your employees.
Comparison: HR Systems for Small Nonprofits
This factsheet compares and contrasts the features of 4 leading HR web products that offer pricing and options appropriate for small nonprofits: BambooHR, Eddy, Gusto, and Zenefits.
How To: Conduct Meaningful Stay Interviews
When a great employee leaves your organization, you may ask, “What could we have done to get you to stay?” The concept of the stay interview arose to get that kind of information at a time when your organization could still act on it.
Employee or Volunteer? Classifying Teams
The proper classification of team members at your nonprofit is essential to ensure compliance with labor laws and avoid financial penalties or legal claims.
A Happier Hybrid: Managing The Risks of Hybrid Work
By Rachel Sams You likely worry about how hybrid work affects your nonprofit‘s employees. Then you probably get pulled right into the day’s crises or priority tasks. Crafting a smart hybrid work approach that fits your nonprofit sounds daunting. But excluding digital security, the big challenges of hybrid work center around office culture, productivity, and … Continued
Managing Risks and Reaping the Rewards of Remote Teams
By Whitney Claire Thomey Remote work—a facet of the working landscape for three-plus decades—quickly became the default construct for businesses and nonprofits alike in 2020. In short order, leaders across the nonprofit sector learned that remote work was not only possible but also practical at a fantastic scale. Experience corroborated what the research indicated—many people … Continued
Managing Executive Turnover Risk
By Melanie Lockwood Herman In the coming year, thousands of nonprofit CEOs will leave their organizations to enjoy retirement, pursue preferred pastimes, and resume travel plans to exotic locales that were delayed by the global pandemic. For most organizations, the departure of a long-time, well-respected CEO will be seen as a costly loss. The best … Continued
Tackle Training Tactfully
By Katharine Nesslage All employees will, at some point, encounter occasions when they need to learn or adapt their skillset to succeed in their role. Workplace training and cross-training enable staff to gain the necessary proficiencies to perform their duties while contributing to the organization. Strong training programs aid in risk mitigation, increase employee engagement, … Continued
Managing Risks and Reaping the Rewards of Remote Teams
By Whitney Claire Thomey Remote work—a facet of the working landscape for three-plus decades—quickly became the default construct for businesses and nonprofits alike in 2020. In short order, leaders across the nonprofit sector learned that remote work was not only possible but also practical at a fantastic scale. Experience corroborated what the research indicated—many people … Continued
Turnover Truths and Consequences
By Melanie Lockwood Herman NRMC team members are inclined to describe staff turnover as a reality, not a risk. Why? Because every member of your team will—generally at a time and for reasons beyond your control—resign their position and leave for different, if not greener, pastures. True, some may separate at your behest, and a … Continued
The Naked Truth: Trust Unites
“The process of building trust takes risk. We start by taking small risks, and if we feel safe, we take bigger risks. Sometimes there are missteps. Then we try again. Until, eventually, we feel we can be completely ourselves.” – Simon Sinek, The Infinite Game By Melanie Lockwood Herman This week I’ve been reflecting on … Continued
Safe and Sound for the Holidays
By Melanie Lockwood Herman and Whitney Claire Thomey This holiday season, nonprofits face conditions unlike any other year. Along with traditional year-end stresses, many face employee relations questions that include nuanced issues related to staff and mission safety. The NRMC team wants to support you as you serve and support your community, whether it’s the … Continued
Contentious Conversations: Talking Politics at Work
(download The Political Risk issue of Risk Management Essentials, here.) Is civil discourse creating a toxic environment in your workplace? According to the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) Politics at Work Survey, deepening divisiveness across party lines is a catalyst for workplace conflict. This often results in lower productivity, employee alienation, poor morale, increased … Continued
Contentious Conversations: Talking Politics at Work
(download The Political Risk issue of Risk Management Essentials, here.) Is civil discourse creating a toxic environment in your workplace? According to the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) Politics at Work Survey, deepening divisiveness across party lines is a catalyst for workplace conflict. This often results in lower productivity, employee alienation, poor morale, increased … Continued
Understanding and Managing Risk Culture
You don’t have to study risk management for long to realize that workplace culture is a critical component. But how can a single person affect change across an entire organization? This course gives practical tips on building a risk aware workforce and a workplace culture that embraces and strengthens risk management. Find out why and … Continued
Three Risk Trends to Keep in Mind as you Enlist Volunteers
By Christy Grano In my work with nonprofit teams, I am repeatedly impressed with the array of terrific volunteer programs that support nonprofit missions; that positive impression swells when I observe smart risk management practices in volunteer recruitment and supervision. I experienced first hand the positive message that a clear, compelling volunteer training transmits to … Continued
Dream a Little Dream: Managing Sleep Deprivation Risks
By Katharine Nesslage Our ambitious 24/7 lifestyles, filled with unbalanced diets, low physical activity, excessive electronic media use, and psychosocial stress, are causing a precipitous decline in our sleep. But the safety implications of sleep deprivation have been known for decades. Precipitating causes of the Three Mile Island nuclear incident (1979), the Exxon Valdez oil … Continued
High or Dry: Weed and the Workplace
By Melanie Lockwood Herman Is your nonprofit workplace a “drug-free” zone? Although nonprofit leaders are in agreement that impaired staff pose an unacceptable risk to the safety of people who serve and receive services, the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana creates a host of challenges for nonprofit employers who wish to take a stand … Continued
Rewarding Risks: The Prodigious Power of Volunteers
By Christy Grano It’s National Volunteer Week, an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of volunteers and the indelible impact that volunteer service makes on communities across our country. In the promotional materials for National Volunteer Week, the Points of Light Foundation reminds us that: “Whether online, at the office, or the local food bank; whether with a vote, a … Continued
5 Winning Ways to Wrestle Recruitment Risk
By Melanie Lockwood Herman and Katharine Nesslage If your nonprofit hasn’t already faced the difficult challenge of attracting new staff to fill the shoes of departing rock stars, get ready! According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), an estimated 7.8 million jobs will need to be filled by 2020. This unsettling headline has … Continued
EPLI: What You Need to Know
Employment practices liability insurance has been available to nonprofit employers for decades. EPL policies generally respond to claims alleging wrongful employment practices, such as sexual harassment and illegal discrimination. This webinar will cover the “ins” and “outs” of EPLI so you can gauge the coverage your nonprofit needs. Topics to be covered include nuances of … Continued
Federal and State Employment Law Update
This webinar will offer a fast-paced update on the changing landscape of federal and state employment laws. Attend this session to learn about new laws (e.g., ban the box” legislation and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act), amendments to existing laws (e.g., the Dodd-Frank Act amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act), and new interpretations of … Continued
He Said, She Said: Managing Workplace Disputes
In a perfect world, every nonprofit employee would be content 100% of the time. Few if any nonprofits live in such a world. This webinar will explore the risks associated with discontent and offer practical suggestions for managing complaints and learning how to respond with finesse and fairness. The session will cover systematic approaches such as … Continued
How to Hire the Staff Your Mission Deserves
By Melanie Lockwood Herman and Arley Turner As the economy continues to rebound from the recent recession, hiring—not downsizing—is the name of the game in nonprofit HR. For leaders that have been in the difficult position of managing layoffs and coping with increased work demands due to vacancies, the availability of funds for new personnel … Continued
We Can Work It Out: Managing Workplace Disputes
By Melanie Lockwood Herman Few things are more frustrating in the workplace than feeling unheard, especially when it comes to sensitive matters such as interpersonal workplace conflicts. And according to a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, “respectful treatment of all employees at all levels” is the number one contributor to overall … Continued
Classification Conundrum
Updated: September 24, 2019 by Melanie Lockwood Herman Avoiding Potentially Costly Employee Classification Errors Across the country, many nonprofit leaders struggle with the question of whether or not they have properly classified their staff members as either “exempt” or “non-exempt” workers. The Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) can often be confusing, and … Continued
Lend a Helping Handbook: Employment Policies Worthy of Your Mission
By Erin Gloeckner On the first day at a new job, most of us probably arrive wondering things like, “What will it be like to work here?” “What will my role entail?” and “How will I learn everything I need to know in order to do my job?” Whether you are a new hire or … Continued
There’s No Mystery to Your History: Using Background Checks in the Screening Process
By Melanie Lockwood Herman “ Many organizations fall prey to the misconception that criminal history background checks are the only effective way to prevent the hiring of an unsuitable employee. ” Most nonprofits use some type of background check to vet potential employees and volunteers. However, the term “background check” is used to mean very … Continued
Buyer’s Remorse
By Melanie Lockwood Herman In a thought-provoking “CEO to CEO” feature article in the September/October 2010 edition of Associations Now magazine, four CEOs were asked: “If you could take back one business decision you’ve made in the last five years, what would it be?” Three of the four answers revealed regret in the area of … Continued
Avoid Transition Trauma with a CEO Succession Plan
by Melanie Lockwood Herman and Erin Gloeckner CEO succession planning can be a touchy subject. Members of a nonprofit board may fear the risk of insulting a CEO by suggesting the topic as an agenda item. Some CEOs may feel disinclined to raise the subject because it could send mixed signals about their intent to … Continued