Investing in People
Hello!
With spring right around the corner (hopefully), I wanted to share an article to help you prepare your spring appeal letters, and a few other items that caught my attention recently.
A few months ago, I shared some research validating what many of you know already--employees who do not take regular vacations and breaks are less productive, and increase economic and healthcare costs. The research showed the dramatic impact that taking a few days off every quarter has on a person’s well-being and productivity. It reaffirmed why JDLA empowers associates to set firm work-life balance boundaries, and supports associates taking a retreat day once a month.
On a related subject, I recently saw some research about the effects of “tele-pressure.” I'd never heard of it, and maybe you haven't either. Tele-pressure is the urge of a person to answer emails instantly, constantly, and at all times of the day and weekend. Researchers shared how unproductive that behavior actually is. It actually causes a decrease in productivity and increased employee burnout, which ends up costing organizations a lot in the long run.
The article highlighted companies that are doing things like setting expectations for when emails can or cannot be sent, time-boxing activities, scheduling downtime for staff, setting new norms on how quickly (or not quickly) communications should be replied to and or checked. Companies like Patagonia are enforcing boundaries on when employees cannot do work, and reinforcing that good employees take care of themselves.
This information is even more relevant to our mission-driven (and often overworked) field. New research in the latest edition of Advancing Philanthropy ties together employee well-being, professional development and dollars raised. As it turns out, each additional form of training/education that an organization provided to fundraising staff resulted in an increase of $37,000 in additional income to the organization. Take care of your people and your people will take care of the cause.
In sum, it has been exciting to see that:
1. “Tele-pressure” is a real problem, but companies are doing something about it
2. Research validates the more we invest in the well-being of our staff the healthier off we all are.
3. The more we invest in professional development for our staff, the more productive our fund raising efforts will be.
Investing in people, donors, staff, and volunteers is always a sound strategy. It demonstrates true philanthropy--love of mankind--and how the power we have to change the world together starts with taking care of each other. Thank you for all you do.
Warmly,
Jamie
