October
2006 E-bulletin
FEATURE
ARTICLE
Competition
for Talented Staff & Volunteers Becoming Fierce
RELATED
RESOURCES
Resources
& Websites that address recruitment and retention
strategies
TIPS
& TOOLS
Managing the
Intergenerational Workforce
SPECIAL
EVENTS
Join
our Executive Director Peer Learning Group
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Federal Government
eliminates funding for Canadian Volunteerism Initiative
Passion in Action: The 2006
CD/CED Gathering
Workshop: Assessing and Promoting
Resiliency in Families
FEATURE
ARTICLE
Competition
for Talented Staff & Volunteers Becoming Fierce
The business community is buzzing about the shortage
of workers in Manitoba. The total number of volunteers
has been steadily dropping according to the last two
National Surveys of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating.
Demographics are changing and everybody is paying
attention to successful recruitment and retention
strategies.
To summarize the two sessions I've attended to explore
these issues:
- the aging population means that there will be fewer
people available to fill the positions that exist,
- older workers will stay in the workforce longer
which will result in four generations in the workforce
at one time,
- increased immigration and the growing aboriginal
population will play a large role in sustaining Manitoba's
economy and will result in a more multicultural workforce.
What does this mean for the non-profit sector? Two
things are key: recruitment of staff and volunteers
must become more strategic; and you must have a workplace
that inspires and motivates individuals to want to
stay.
Recruitment is the number one area of concern for
non-profits. With the increase in demand for workers
in the for-profit sector, this challenge will only
continue to grow. How can you attract an employee
if you do not have the resources to compete with a
for-profit company? How can you recruit a person to
volunteer when they are already busy working and juggling
family responsibilities?
Recruitment must be strategic. To be successful, you
must have a plan in place that addresses the following
questions: what is your organization's image? Who
is the best person to communicate this image to possible
recruits? What are the essential skills that you are
looking for? What appeals to the population segment
you are trying to recruit? How will you develop your
employee/volunteer? What kind of career or volunteer
path is in place if people decide to stay?
Barb Gemmell, an expert in Volunteer Management, is
teaching our "Strategies
for Recruitment Success" workshop October
26. She says "that creative and innovative job
design is an important first step. A combination of
new approaches, flexibility in scheduling and work
location options and keeping current on human resource
trends can open up new recruitment possibilities."
Retention is the second biggest issue facing non-profits.
Once someone commits to your organization what is
your plan to encourage him/her to stay? The message
from the speakers I heard was encouraging since they
were the same key concepts that Managers of Volunteers
are encouraged to and have been implementing in their
programs for years.
According to experts, people stay with an organization
because of the work environment, the quality of leadership,
an environment of trust, the organization's image,
and professional development opportunities. These
concepts are definitely not new to the non-profit
sector and our success and experience may give us
a leading edge in this area. Managers of Volunteers
who have taken formal education in the field through
Volunteer Manitoba or Red River College know that
these concepts are key to retaining volunteers and
it is heartening to see the for-profit sector embracing
this approach to managing their workers.
Barb says "taking time to connect regularly,
encouraging feedback and focussing on ensuring a positive
work environment are important. It's often the 'little
things' that can make the most difference!"
The trend towards increased competition to find talented
staff and volunteers will continue to grow. Understanding
what motivates the different generations of workers,
understanding the various cultures that exist in our
province and using this information to develop a recruitment
strategy is key. But don't stop there, make sure you
have a plan in place to inspire your staff and volunteers
to stay and grow with your organization.
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RELATED
RESOURCES
Select
resources in our Library:
"Best of All - the quick reference guide to effective
volunteer involvement", Linda Graff. A compendium
of best pratices in volunteer program management to
help your volunteers contribute their very best.
"The Volunteer Recruitment Book", Susan
J. Ellis - This book explains how to design the types
of volunteer assignments that will attract the most
qualified people. Plus, find a wealth of information
of about the techniques of recruitment and how to
find volunteers of diverse backgrounds.
"Multiculturalism At Work - a guide to organizational
change", Barb Thomas - Intended for managers
of non-profit agencies, this book offers useful guidelines
for influencing or initiating multicultural change
in their organizations.
To borrow any of these resources contact David Rozniatowski,
vmresource@mts.net,
477-5180 x 223
Websites & Downloadable Resources:
"Engagement,
Motivation, Satisfaction & Effectiveness - What
Does It All Mean?" - PDF paper from
DecisionWise, Inc, describing how to achieve true
employee engagement by ensuring motivation, satisfaction
and effectiveness.
"Passion
and Commitment Under Stress: Human Resource Issues
in Canada's Non-profit Sector",
Ron Saunders, Director of CPRN's Work Network - examines
the forces that threaten the sustainability of non-profit
enterprise and suggests measures to relieve some of
the pressure.
Different
Generations in the Workplace - an article from
HRVS describing how to meet the diverse needs and
expectations of young workers, mid-career and older
workers.
Taming Turnover: Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining
Nonprofit Employees, by Lee Mizell, Philanthropy
News Digest. Tips to recruit creatively and decrease
the rate of turnover in nonprofit organizations.
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TIPS
& TOOLS
Managing
the Intergenerational Workforce
www.SHRM (Society of Human Resource Mangement).org
Here are some overlying themes of each generation:
| Traditionalists
(before 1945) |
Baby
Boomers (1945-1964) |
Hardwork
Duty
Sacrifice
Thriftiness
Work fast
|
Personal
fulfillment
Optimism
Crusading causes
Buy now, pay later
Work efficiently |
| Generation
X (1965-1980) |
Generation
Y (1981 - present) |
Uncertainty
Personal focus
Live for today
Save, save, save
Eliminate the task |
What's
next?
On my terms
Just show up
Earn to spend
Do exactly what's said |
Here
are some Generational Leadership Tips:
1.
Develop an environment that empowers employees and
more team-based activities and decisions. The more
they work together on organizational goals; the better
they know and respect each other.
2. Give feedback to all groups. Although the Y group
will demand more on-going feedback, all groups need
it and desire to feel valued.
3. Create more flexibility in schedules. If you want
"quality of life" for all employees, don't
be so rigid about flexing some of the work schedule
to accommodate family schedules. Some employees are
more "a.m." than "p.m." and visa
versa.
4. Help bridge the communication gaps. Your role as
a manager is to prevent misunderstandings and help
facilitate those sometimes uncomfortable but crucial
conversations. Get your employees to develop their
listening skills as well. The more they confront their
differences and hear each other out, the more likely
they will get along.
5. Watch the length of your meetings. Generations
X and Y don't care for lots of gab and little action.
Customize your agendas in order to engage and involve
your employees. Delegate items on the agenda in a
way that will bring out the enthusiasm and strengths
of your employees.
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SPECIAL
EVENTS
Join
the Executive Director Peer Learning Group
Through our Peer Learning Group you have the opportunity
to become self-sufficient learners and the support
to implement real change in your organization.
Apply now to join this year's group as we explore
the topic of "Manager/Leader - Defining the Role
of Executive Director.
Download
the Application Form
Deadline is November 3
Fee: $300.00 (includes 12 hours of in-person meetings)
Please see
our website or contact Tracy Douglass, vmmarketing@mts.net,
477-5180 x 222 for more details.
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