Values-based Human Resource Systems No HR Experience Required!

Values-based Human Resource Systems No HR Experience Required! Lyn Freundlich Director of Human Resources Third Sector New England March 2016

Goals Introduce the concept of values–based human resources Discuss trends, challenges and opportunities To identify key human resources systems for values alignment Provide examples of how to put your values into practice 2

Thank you for attending! 30 years of nonprofit experience Supervision and performance management training Human resources consulting Nonprofit compensation and benefits report At TSNE for 13 years, where I’m not just a trainer and consultant, I am part of an organization where I supervise and am supervised 3

What’s Your Role? Poll: Please choose the title that best describes your role. Admin or program assistant Admin or program coordinator Admin or program manager Human resources professional Executive director/CEO Board member 4

‘Accidental Practitioners’ Who Participates in our Human Resources Trainings? At a glance. 3% Associates 25% Directors 5% Executive Directors 33% Managers 17% Other Staff 3% President/Vice Presidents 12% Program Coordinators 5

The basics People: Our greatest resource Human resource function: Supports employees’ effectiveness and ensures compliance with regulations. Values alignment: Practices reflect organizational values. Policies treat staff in ways that are consistent with their mission and vision 6

Observations from the field Living Wages 43% earn less than 28,000. Equity Male leaders earn significantly higher pay than female. Diversity and Inclusion 86% of nonprofit leaders in New England are white. 7

How do we respond? Don’t always have barrels of resources to pay more. Can raise these issues with funders and partners! Can’t necessarily change the way the sector operates singlehandedly. Can create workplaces that model the world we want to create! 8

Why it matters. Every day, I get up and I think ‘you know what? I’m going to do good things today.’ – Ready to Lead survey participant 9

Risk losing high performing staff. “I like the challenge of my work and am passionate about the issues though the amount of work and worry does takes its toll.” – Leadership New England survey participant 10

Why it matters. A disparity between personal and organizational values reduces the desire to stay. Compatibility between these two values increases the desire to stay. – Center for Values Research, study findings 11

Why focus on values-based human resources specifically? Effective organizations ‘walk their talk’ HR systems aligned with values bring our organizational mission to life Better hiring practices; best fit Employee satisfaction and retention 12

Human Resources Practices Job Descriptions Performance Reviews Orientation Compensation Benefits Reward and recognition Supervision 13

Job descriptions. Reflect culture and values Support effective hiring practices so you get the right people First handshake: Message your mission Foundation for performance management 14

Job descriptions (anatomy) Job Title Organizational description Position summary Essential duties Qualifications 15

Job descriptions (anatomy) Job Title Genius: service technician – Apple retail stores Ambassador of Buzz: communications associate – Grasshopper 16

Job descriptions (anatomy) Organizational description Future gardeners prepares urban youth for early employment success in the horticultural arts and supports them in developing a broad skill set as they transition to the work world. 17

Job descriptions (anatomy) Position Summary This position will work collaboratively to support and deliver youth services for the Young Farmers after school classes. 18

Job descriptions (anatomy) Essential Duties: be descriptive! Work with kids on their reading. or Tutor individuals and small groups of elementary age students to support their reading and language skills. 19

Job descriptions (anatomy) Essential Duties: be descriptive! Staff reception desk. or Greet visitors in a friendly manner and provide Information or resources as needed. Notify staff when visitors arrive; accompany guests to appropriate offices and meeting rooms. 20

Job descriptions (anatomy) Qualifications Experience What they have done Skills What they can do Knowledge What they know Qualities Other (less tangible) things applicants bring 21

Qualification (experience) Vision: Achieving excellence in service Qualification: Experience providing impeccable customer service 22

Qualification (skill) Vision: We envision a world that is racially and economically just in which wealth, land and power are shared. Qualification: Proven ability to engage in productive conversations about power and privilege in the workplace 23

Qualification (knowledge) Mission: We teach children cooperative play as a way of problem solving. Qualification: Demonstrable knowledge of cooperative play pedagogy 24

Qualification (qualities) Mission: We nurture the joy of learning in school age children. Qualification: Curiosity about the world and a passion for life-long learning 25

A word about college degree and other formal requirements 26

How useful are your performance reviews? Poll: How useful are your organization’s performance reviews? Extremely Depends on who is doing the reviewing Just a formality What performance reviews? 27

Performance reviews Notice what is working and what can be improved upon; Facilitate planning for the upcoming year; Provide an opportunity to shore up resources, including professional development and learning opportunities, to support effectiveness; Help supervisors and staff to pay attention to their supervisory relationship and make adjustments as necessary; Provide staff with an opportunity to explore the ways their work contributes to your organizational mission. 28

Performance reviews Tied to: Job description Goals Organizational values Mission 29

Performance reviews Value honesty and respect Ask Provide examples of ways in which the employee (or you) demonstrated this value. Are there instances when this person could have done a better job being honest and/or respectful? Mission The mission of The Women’s Center is to improve the career, financial and legal well being of women. Ask Please give examples of the ways in which this person’s work helped improve the well being of women. 30

Performance reviews Build systems that: Recognize biggest accomplishments Provide opportunities to discuss what staff can do to be more impactful. Plan for the future – working in your organization and beyond Provide opportunity for supervisors to solicit feedback 31

Orientation process? Poll describe your organization’s new employee orientation process Trial by fire (they are lucky if we show them where the bathroom is) We take new people out to lunch New employees meet with a number of people on their first day We have an extensive orientation and training plan that takes place over a number of weeks or months 32

Orientation Critical to success Plan to invest plenty of time Can require up to a year 33

Orientation At the macro-level History, structure, mission of organization Organizational culture Explanation of important personnel policies Expectations as they relate to cultural competency 34

Orientation At the department or program level The program’s goals, objectives, history and place within the sector How the person’s job contributes to program goals The way members of your team work together 35

Orientation At the job level Job expectations and individual goals, using the job description as a framework Skill building resources that the new staff person may need (e.g., computer training, writing workshops, etc) How you will work with and communicate with this person Decision making 36

Compensation and Benefits Building a compensation structure isn’t just about the numbers asking the right questions is the first step 37

Compensation How important is internal equity and fairness? How important is pay competitively within the market? Should employees with more tenure earn more than those doing similar jobs with less tenure? What role should performance play in determining compensation? Are there particular skills that are valuable enough to warrant additional financial reward? What is the ideal ratio between the highest and lowest salary? 38

Benefits reflect values, too! Health insurance Waiting period Individual, family, employee 1 options Domestic partner coverage Premiums Plan structure Flexible schedules Tuition reimbursement Transportation benefit Number of days Accrual rate Carry over What holidays are recognized Other benefits Leave time 39

Employee reward and recognition 40

Supervision The role: Provide thoughtful and well-planned support and direction enabling staff members to successfully meet individual and programmatic goals and to contribute to the overall mission-effectiveness of your organization. 41

Supervision Effective supervisors: Build mutually respectful and trusting relationships Are adaptive Meet regularly; one on one Provide well thought-out, regular feedback Model and raise up organizational values 42

Supervision Effective organizations: Recognize and value supervision Have clear expectations for supervisors Train and support supervisors Encourage feedback TO supervisors 43

Getting started Know your values Choose a starting place Consider how a particular policy or practice does or does not align with values Involve others Be willing to experiment Get a human resources assessment 44

Human Resources Assessment Hiring Over all practices Excellent Supervision Acceptable Payroll and Record Keeping Needs Improvement OK OK Red flags Suggestions None Develop standard questions Add organizational values to postings and ads Consider individual, regularly scheduled supervision meeting for all staff Consider implementing a written job description for supervisors (See Appendix D) No signed records Secure signed time cards All records in one file per Separate I-9s and health related employee information from personnel file 45

Biennial nonprofit compensation study Insights and analysis from the field Information from 250 organizations in Massachusetts and Connecticut New study launches this fall for 2017 www.tsne.org/compensation-data

Look for our survey in the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network newsletter coming this fall. www.tsne.org/compensation-data

Thank You! Lyn Freundlich Director of Human Resources Third Sector New England 617-896-9326 [email protected] www.tsne.org

Mission sustainability is basis for aligned human resource systems Recruiting and Hiring Compensation Benefits Performance Management and Supervision Mission, Vision and Values 49