HOW TO WOW EMPLOYEES

1. HOW TO WOW EMPLOYEES What it takes to be one of the 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon Brandon Sawyer Research Editor, Oregon Business magazine

2. What Are the 100 Best Nonprofits? • Based on Oregon Business magazine’s comprehensive four-year-old survey, first conducted in spring 2009 • Inspired by our 19-year-old 100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon survey • Published in our October issue • Celebrated at dinner event in late September • Promoted through use of our logo, on our website,in other media, etc.

3. Survey Components • Employee survey • Counts for 5/6 of an organization’s overall score, based on satisfaction ratings • 35 scaled questions and two open-ended questions, taking bout 10 minutes to complete • Subjective • Employer Benefits survey • Counts for 1/6 of an organization’s overall score • About 50 questions, taking a half hour or so to complete • Objective

4. The Employee Survey • Five statements in each of the following sections: • Work Environment • Management & Communications • Mission & Goals • Career Development & Learning • Benefits & Compensation

5. Green Employee Survey • Ten statements in Sustainable Practices • Not counted in 100 Best Nonprofits scoring • Used only for our 100 Best Green Companies to Work for in Oregon, published in the June issue of Oregon Business • Scored along with15 Sustainable Practices questions from the Employer Survey

6. Volunteers & Employee Survey • Unpaid volunteers may also take the survey at the discretion of participating nonprofits • Must work a minimum of 20 hours on average per month • Omitted from Benefits & Compensation section • A minimum of 10 paid employees and/or qualified volunteers is required • 10 or more employee surveys must be completed by the end of the survey in order to qualify for consideration in the list

7. Employee Survey Components • For each survey statement employees rate two things: • How satisfied they are with the performance of their organization in that area • How important that particular item is to their overall satisfaction with their organization • Statements rated on scale of -3 (not at all) to +3 (very) • Entirely subjective • Counts for 500 points of 100 Best Nonprofits score • Scored based on average satisfaction ratings of all responding employees and volunteers

8. The Employer Benefits Survey • A single employer representative, usually the HR director, completes this • Questionnaire on health, time off, retirement, work/life balance, career development and other benefits • Answers are objective; yes/no and numbers or percentages • Includes 15 Sustainable Practices questions used only for the 100 Best Green Companies to Work For scoring • Counts for 100 points of 100 Best Nonprofits score

9. Dynamic Between Satisfaction and Importance • Importance indicates expectations of employees within the workplace • Satisfaction indicates whether workplace is meeting those expectations • Gap between importance and satisfaction shows areas where employee morale may be most improved

10. Statements most important to Oregon nonprofit employees, 2011

11. Statements Oregon nonprofit employees are most satisfied with, 2011

12. Statements with biggest gaps between importance and satisfaction, 2011

13. What employees are saying • “My boss allows me to run my project as I wish. He is always available to listen or offer suggestions. He is an extremely positive person.”

14. What employees are saying • “ I would like more interaction with my supervisor. I feel like much of the information about my role is filtered then communicated through a team member to me. This filtering can cause a break in the sense of teamwork.”

15. What employees are saying • “There is a sense of pride among the people with whom I work, and a genuine sense of caring for one another. We do emotionally difficult work and thus need a large degree of trust with each other.”

16. What employees are saying • “There is a lack of confidence and support in enabling a staff person to make decisions and execute a program without micromanagement from the top.”

17. What employees are saying • “I love that we can bring our dogs and babies to work with us! It makes the work place so much less stressful. I also love all of the different ethnic foods and treats that employees bring in to share..”

18. What employees are saying • “Obviously being a non-profit organization budget issues are always a concern However, employees should be rewarded with annual raises for doing such an amazing job.

19. What employees are saying • “We support our clients to be independent in the ways that they can in a playful loving and respectful way that brings most days full of laughter and smiles!!! Our managers facilitate our (caregivers) ability to sustainably give care by supporting us with care!!”

20. What employees are saying • “There are too many people in charge and they have a hard time trying not to step on each others toes and the direct workers can kind of be seen as less-than.”

21. What employees are saying • “I work with the best people, producing great art, in a beautiful place. I feel supported and nurtured by the organization and my boss.”

22. 100 Best Nonprofit Reports • Huge benefit of participation: Available to all participants that meet survey qualification requirements • Minimum of 10 employee/volunteer surveys • At least 10% of employees responding • Completed employer survey • Free Basic report available • Employee write-in comments and Comprehensive reports available for a fee • Easy and valuable way to pinpoint areas of strength and weakness

23. Average Category Scores, All Participating Nonprofits, 2011

24. Work Environment, All Participating Nonprofits, Satisfaction vs. Importance 2011

25. Management & Communications, All Participating Nonprofits, Satisfaction vs. Importance 2011

26. Mission & Goals, All Participating Nonprofits, Satisfaction vs. Importance 2011

27. Career Development & Learning, All Participating Nonprofits, Satisfaction vs. Importance 2011

28. Benefits & Compensation, All Participating Nonprofits, Satisfaction vs. Importance 2011

36. General conclusions • Satisfying nonprofit employees in terms of pay, benefits and promotion remains a challenge • Clear, effective and regular communication by management with employees, as well as involving them in decisions, provides an opportunity to boost morale with less fiscal impact

37. General conclusions • Team-building, acknowledgement and rewarding top workplace performers, and discipline of poor performers may also improve morale • Nonprofit employees value Work Environment highly so maintaining flexibility, work/life balance, family-friendly policies and sufficient time off is critical

38. General conclusions • Employees also value Mission & Goals and are more satisfied with their organizations in this area; they take pride in their workplace and advancing the mission • Providing constructive feedback and being proactive in helping employees build skills and develop careers inspires great loyalty and strengthens the overall organization

39. Benefits of survey participation • It’s free • Easy and convenient: accessible online from any computer or mobile device or on paper in English and Spanish • Dialogue with employees: Employees get a unique chance to voice their opinions confidentially • Honest feedback: Employers gain valuable insight about the business from those on the front lines. • Higher morale and efficiency • The List • Event and promotion • Employee attraction and retention

40. 100 Best Nonprofits schedule • Sign up: April 23 to June 15 • Survey: April 23 through June 22 • Scoring and ranking: Qualified nonprofits are informed in late July if they rank (though not where) among the top 100 nonprofits • Survey results: Participants may order a free overview of survey results or a more detailed report for a fee August through November • Event and list: The 100 Best Nonprofits will be honored Sept. 27 at a dinner event in Portland • List will be published in the October issue of Oregon Business and online at www.oregonbusiness.com

41. Participating in our survey • The 2012 100 Best Nonprofits survey opens today! • At least 10 Oregon employees and/or qualified volunteers required • Sign up at www.oregon100best.com • Questions: Contact me at 503-445-8828 or 100best@oregonbusiness.com