YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
Our nonprofit professionals – the superheroes working behind the scenes to provide care to our most vulnerable, compassion to our seniors, love to our children and creativity to our community – are bone-tired.
We’re so mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted that it often feels like we’re running a chaotic nonprofit marathon on empty with no refueling stations or finish line in sight.
Day in and day out, we’re living in a constant state of reaction, stepping out of strategic meetings to extinguish the next fire, wearing multiple hats to cover staff shortages, and prioritizing work on evenings and weekends to catch up instead of recharging with family.
These challenges, layered on top of limited resources, Band-Aid infrastructures and paper-thin support, create a recipe for disaster. It’s a vicious cycle of scarcity and fear that nonprofits perpetuate.
We reason that our organization’s purpose is to serve people but lack that same compassion and support for the people who fuel our nonprofit missions every day – our teams.
The ongoing challenges and turmoil brought on by the pandemic have aimed a floodlight on nonprofits and the lack of refueling stations for our professionals who are working miracles on empty. These superheroes are not superhumans, and maintaining the status quo will not change the result.
Last year, it was reported in Forbes that 45% of nonprofit employees will seek new jobs by 2025 due to low wages, limited career mobility and the fact that nonprofits are not well-run businesses.
Nonprofit leaders must be intentional on creating healthy organizational cultures, aim to be people-centric, reallocate resources and proactively refuel their teams to create a sustainable future.
Here are four actionable steps you can take to refuel your team in 2022.
In 2022, be intentional about refueling the members of your team – assess the current landscape, bring all voices to the table, reallocate and invest in the capabilities and strengths of the staff, build a sustainable foundation for success, and celebrate milestones.
Every single person is touched by a nonprofit’s mission, and our community counts on this sector significantly. These superheroes deserve our appreciation, respect, best resources and strategies, and greatest support to thrive.
Gretchen Colon is the co-founder of Springfield-based Omada Collaborative LLC, a consulting business for nonprofits, ministries and family-owned businesses. She also serves on the Association for Fundraising Professionals Ozark Region Chapter Board. She can be reached at gretchen@omadacollaborative.com.
Alair Springfield is first Missouri franchise for Canada-based company.