Nonprofit and community-based organizations face the continual challenge of not only attracting terrific staff but keeping these talented and committed individuals. Make a retention program part of your organization. If you have a little bit of money to spend on employee retention, here are some high-impact ways to use it.
- Training. An inexpensive workshop, or a Web or CD-based training course, can help team members bridge skills gaps that cause frustration and dissatisfaction. Regular investments in training– even small ones–help create a culture where employees’ desire for career development can be met.
- Equipment and furnishing. We’re not recommending that you bribe people into staying with new computers or fancy desk chairs. But if people feel their genuine needs for equipment aren’t being met, they may feel that another organization would take those needs more seriously.
- Time off. A “free day off” can be a wonderful incentive for employees who are wavering about staying with your organization because they’re having trouble balancing work and life issues. If necessary, the funds you want to spend on retention can go to pay a temp to cover for the day.
- Recognition. There are plenty of low-cost and no-cost ways to recognize your people’s achievements, regular praise from the manager being just one. But if you can invest a little money in a recognition program, you will reinforce that it is genuinely important to you not just that your people don’t fail, but that they succeed, not just for the team but also for themselves.
Posted in Leadership, People Management, Teaming
