We’ve recently explored the best practices for working with volunteers, but how about the staff your organisation employs? The success of not-for-profit organisations and professional membership associations heavily depends on the dedication and efficiency of their staff, although, managing staff in these unique environments presents a unique array of challenges and opportunities.
Understanding Your Environment
Staff members within these organisations often wear multiple hats, leaving them to balance a variety of responsibilities including anything from event planning all the way to financial administration. Unlike for-profit companies, these organisations are driven by their mission, rather than monetary gain, which requires a different approach to staff management.
The work effort within these associations is normally centred around the mission and values of the organisation, which can be a powerful motivator for dedicated staff members. Although, due to the nature of the organisation, it means that resources can often be limited, and staff must find a way to be more effective and creative in their planning.
Priorities
One of the most critical factors is to ensure that everyone is aligned with the same mission. It’s apparent that when staff members are passionate about the cause or purpose of the association, they are more likely to be engaged, and motivated to be productive.
It’s helpful to remind staff of how their work contributes to the broader goals of the association, and positively reinforce their efforts.
Collaboration
As staff members often work across multiple departments, and alongside volunteers, effective collaboration is key for the organisation’s success. Platforms should be provided for open communication for all involved with the organisation, including regular team meetings and the ability for all to share documents and track tasks digitally. From a management perspective, recognising and celebrating successful collaborative efforts will really help to reinforce the importance of teamwork.
Resource Constraints
As these organisations are not driven by profit, it’s more common to stumble into issues with resource management, whether that’s financial, human or technological. This could create challenges in supporting association members or managing staff workloads.
To manage these constraints, it’s important to effectively prioritise tasks and manage resources for all involved with the organisation. Identify the most critical topics throughout the year to make sure all staff and volunteers are aligned in their efforts.
Resilience & Adaptability
Not-for-profit organisations and professional membership associations should always review their vision and mission, and because of this you may find never-ending changes in funding or member needs.
Provide your staff with the tools and support they need to adapt to new circumstances, whether that’s through training, flexible work arrangements, or open communication about upcoming changes. Staff who are more adaptable and resilient to change are more likely to handle a change in circumstances or the work pressures that frequently arise in this sphere.
How We Can Help
While there are a huge number of benefits to being part of a professional membership associations management committee, it’s important to realise that there are heavy responsibilities. Many tasks can seem quite daunting or time consuming, which is why it’s important to work alongside a reliable administration management team.
At Cygnul we work in partnership with our clients and are seen as trusted advisors to the Board. We can undertake the full range of membership, secretarial and bookkeeping services as well as offering advice and support to associations around the UK. If you want to explore how these services could help your organisation, please get in touch with us.
