Career and Transition Consulting Working For Love Attracting and supporting the career development of professional staff in the Not-for-Profit sector. For The Association of Community Access Broadcasters Conference 17th October 2009 Career and Transition Consulting

Covered in this presentation Working for Love – what does this mean? The NFP as an Employer Employee alignment and retention and the importance of your organisational Mission Work engagement - what you can do Career motivation – why work for less? Career development - a little career theory Career and Performance management - What you can do The Employer – Employee Psychological Contract The Future World of Work Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting Working for Love? A.A.A Affiliation Alignment Altruism Because you and the community love them Because they love the work they do Because they love to serve community Career and Transition Consulting

Some perceptions about attraction to work NFP sector Have values alignment with organisation’s mission Want to give something ‘back’ to community Have chosen not to fit, or don’t fit into mainstream work cultures Cannot get work in mainstream workforce Identifies personally with stakeholders Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting The NFP sector The voluntary and not-for-profit sector accounts for an important and growing proportion of employment in the OECD countries. In NZ we have more than 97,000 NFPs Contributing 2.6% to our GDP Non-profits have over 105,000 paid employees but only 10% of all non-profit organisations employ paid staff 90% rely entirely on volunteers Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector website Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting NFPs as employers Rates of pay being relatively low, necessitates non-financial means of eliciting employee motivation and commitment. Organisation needs to tap into the intrinsic commitment to the job held by employees Risks involved - competing commitments and ambivalence towards organisation, existing power structures and group dynamics – employee asks “why do I do this?” Meeting the unexpressed expectations coming from idealism can be a challenge. Career and Transition Consulting

Research – Mission Attraction Non-profit organisations rely on the mission to attract resources and guide decision making. Increasingly, mission statements are recognized as a strong management tool that can motivate employees and keep them focused on the organization’s purpose. In general, the employees (in the study) expressed positive attitudes toward the organization’s mission, and those attitudes were related to employee satisfaction and intentions to remain with the organization. William A. Brown and Carlton F, Yoshioka Career and Transition Consulting

Evoking a Powerful Mission Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting Organisation’s Structures External Organisational brand Customer perception and experience Systems/ processes Resources Known and expressed expectations and performance Govt legislation / policy Compliance External Structures Employee’s Personal brand Personality/ character Observed Skills and competencies Interpersonal confidence and style Internal Interests Career drivers / motivation Values and core beliefs about self and other Personal circumstances and family expectations Aspirations and personal goals Informal Culture Predominant cultural ethos Interpersonal dynamics Stage of business development How power is used Business drivers Mission Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting Employee Motivators Knowledge – Learning and developing new skills Career - Enhancing one’s career prospects through experience Value – expressive - Making a difference Social – adjustive - Desire for acceptance Ego-defensive – Need to escape personal inadequacies Esteem enhancement – Growth and self-actualisation needs Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting Employee Needs Career and Transition Consulting

Intellectual “I think” goals Time Management Knowledge View of Reality Goals Commitment to activities Discipline Planning Intellectual “I think” goals Emotional “I Feel” Self-monitoring Confidence Enthusiasm Passion Energy Optimism Steadiness Context of meaning Context of meaning Creative/Unconscious “Identity” Individual potential to self-actualise Values Conviction about service View of abilities Feelings of worthiness Achievement drive Self Image Life programming View of Possibilities Serving attitude (relationship with authority) Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting Employee Engagement “Dissatisfaction with pay tended to override employee’s mission attachment as explanation of why they may leave the organization.” B & Y 14% Fully Engaged 62% Moderately Engaged 24% actively disengaged Career and Transition Consulting

Employee considerations for leaving? Personal /Career Factors They are not clear about their role and how their contribution matters There is a lack of alignment between organisational mission and person’s values There is lack of challenge or stretch on the job Employee / manager relationships are wanting – lack of trust etc They don’t feel included – or have a sense of belonging relationships are not well formed High stress and work / life balance is compromised Situational / Environmental Factors Current employment market Current business / economic confidence Personal security needs Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting In the ZONE High Mission Alignment and Challenge Engagement High Low Skills, Support and Trust Career and Transition Consulting

Understanding Strengths and Interests Potential stressors or de-motivators Strengths Skills Development Potential Low relevance I n t e r e s t s Career and Transition Consulting

The risk of people not enjoying what they do…! The doom loop Enjoy Don’t Enjoy Skilled Don’t enjoy/not good at Enjoy/good at Don’t enjoy/No longer good at Unskilled Enjoy/not good at DOOM!! Career and Transition Consulting

Building an Engaged Workforce Get to know your people – who they really are Build transparency and trust Find out where they are naturally drawn to contribute Show appreciation for their contribution Provide challenges AND give them the support to succeed Give constructive feedback Foster a sense of belonging and community – and interdependence Make the workplace FUN – celebrate together Grow a culture passionately aligned with your organisational mission Career and Transition Consulting

Psychological Contract This job will give me security and extra pay potentially I need you to make the organisation look good Manager New Employee Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting Career conversations Pride: The employee describes what they are most proud of and recalls what made the experience so motivating and successful. Passion: Values, beliefs and interests present in that and other experiences are identified . Purpose: Other possible projects or assignments are explored which might also involve similar interests and values that would bring meaningful focus. Performance: Develop, in collaboration, work strategies and resources required that will enable similar successes. Poise: Manage expectations, trust and reinforce the idea that, with practice, success is achievable. Career and Transition Consulting

Recruit new staff for good ‘fit’ Aligned skills and experience (can do) Aligned attitude and application (can fit) An ability to change, be flexible and adaptable (will fit) Aspiration and values that align with your mission Competencies that add value to your operation A commitment to quality – to doing a good job Career and Transition Consulting

ROI = Open Career Conversations Professional staff   Proactive Decision making Resourcing Information  Career planning transparency Time for open conversations Productivity Attrition /Succession issues  Employee Satisfaction Commitment  Performance Retention  Career and Transition Consulting

Employer / Employee working together Social/family environment Personal goals INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PEOPLE Individual Open Career Discussions Job Re-alignment Work/life in balance Career development Personal growth Employability Increase job satisfaction Values alignment Training needs identified GOAL SETTING CAREER/LIFE/ OBJECTIVES SUCCESSION PLANNING INVOLVEMENT Development and training ACTION PERFORMANCE Current role ACTION Constructive feedback Organisational plans, mission, vision & values PROFIT Organisation Market/environment Succession planning Career and Transition Consulting

Career Decision-making ? Career Decision-making Where do I ultimately want to be in my life? (What is my dream or life mission) How should I do it? How does this fit with my life values and goals? What are the other considerations I need to take into account? (family, other commitments etc) What could be my next step? How can I prepare for the next change as I do my current work? What do I want for the world/my community? Career and Transition Consulting

Pro-active (Protean) model for careers Person is author of their own career Develops skills in learning how to learn Recognises the sequential process of change Seeks new challenges and opportunities Is open to change and opportunity Maximises resources Maintains and develops networks Diversifies Experience Douglas T. Hall PhD Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting Changing work patterns - trends include: Retraining – broadening / diversifying skills Valuing and seeking feedback Doing work-related reading – desire for work to be aligned with interest On-going learning through tertiary education and specific skill training Valuing and seeking mentoring and/or coaching Less upward promotion / more horizontal career development Increasing part-time employment / portfolio careers / flexi work arrangements Later entry to the workforce Working longer (aging workforce) Diversified career and other interests More emphasis on work-life balance – family first practices Career and Transition Consulting

2009 - Reframing the World of work Community building focus – sharing resources Business accountability – business ethics Co-operacy in business practice – learning and doing business together More reasons for working in the community or Not-For-Profit sectors Opting into reduced hours (9-day fortnight now mainstream) Re-emergence of the artisan - creative enterprise More self-employment and small businesses Knowledge, rather than physical labour important Work and life in balance – healthy lifestyle above earning capacity/potential Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting Society and Values We live in a world experiencing unprecedented change In general people are confused – value complexity but want simplicity There is a need to stimulate, educate and inform public debate and call to account unhelpful attitudes and activities remains vital to improving the state of the world People and communities have become disconnected from each other – and are driven to change this Societies and workplaces are becoming more diverse demographically and we need to learn to think through diverse approaches and perspectives Values-based leadership is becoming more and more essential Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting Attraction theory is now mainstream – ‘The Secret’ found its ‘right timing’ More people are wanting to make change happen There is disillusionment with corporate structures and profit making People want connection and shared values We are learning that we need communities to thrive rather than survive We are learning that we must work more collaboratively Organisations are interested in becoming more transformative We have an inkling now that we can reframe the our world and the way we do things Career and Transition Consulting

Career and Transition Consulting Bibliography Mission Attachment and Satisfaction as Factors in Employee Retention, (2003) William Brown & Carlton Yoshioka Statistics New Zealand website Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector website; Facts about the subsectors of the community sector Caring for The Workers – Paper by Lower Hutt City Council 2008 Human Resources Magazine – Feb/Mar 2009 Issue - Leveraging your workers – Jasbinda Sing Career Compass, Navigating Your Career in the New Century (2000)Peggy Simonsen. Integrity Selling; Winning over Negative Emotions, (2003) Ron Willingham Career and Transition Consulting