Providing services is hard work. Staff are exposed to tough circumstances. Sometimes getting to your desired outcomes is not possible or is painfully slow. Many are working in the nonprofit field and receive a modest income. It is imperative that agencies adopt practices to take care of staff, avoid burnout, and celebrate successes.
- To the extent possible, be flexible in scheduling and offer generous vacation for respite and regeneration.
- Provide venues for group celebration and gratitude:
• Plan for periodic events to celebrate staff, such as staff picnics and holiday meals.
• Promote weekly shout-outs: allow staff to submit short emails to celebrate and thank fellow staff. Collect and broadcast these messages to all staff on a weekly basis.
• Highlight staff in promotional materials. Use photos and staff stories to communicate the value of your agency’s mission and their individual efforts.
- Provide an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP). An EAP provides confidential therapeutic resources to staff.
- Provide burnout prevention training.
- Provide staff wellness activities, such as yoga and meditation.
- Provide a yearly stipend to staff for professional development opportunities.
- Ensure there are advancement opportunities in the agency and promote from within whenever possible.
- Establish an open-door policy so staff can come to you with concerns.
- Case conference about veteran clients with staff so you can ensure they have all the help they need in order to serve their clients.
