Employees are like puzzle pieces. When they fit with your organization, the relationship creates a clear vision of the bigger picture and mission. But no matter how hard you push, rotate, or wish the wrong piece to fit, it won’t. If one of your team members is not right for the organization, keeping them in the mix takes away from efficiency and a cooperative work environment. 5 tips for letting go of sub-par employees 1. Keep detailed feedback records. Make sure a clear understanding of your expectations and their performance exists from the start. The decision to fire an employee should not be unexpected; provide them with ample opportunity to succeed before resorting to firing. 2. Get over the guilt. Focus on the future and best interests of the organization and staff morale. Managing sub-par employees costs more time, money, and productivity than hiring someone better suited for the role. 3. Be direct and to the point. Use the words “terminate,” “let you go,” or “fire.” Write a script if necessary and prepare a list of items to cover during the conversation. Showing sympathy is fine, but stay focused and level-headed. 4. Be respectful. Avoid accusations or pointing the finger…

Sadly, in the United States a gender pay gap of 22% still exists. In practically every corner of the workforce, women earn less than men. While the gap has become smaller over the years, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), a U.S. think tank founded in 1987 that tracks wages, projects that at our current pace, it will be 2058 before women finally reach pay parity. Possibly more surprising and sobering is the reality that the gender pay gap is even greater in the nonprofit sector. Women Dominate Nonprofit Leadership; Lag in Pay Women in the nonprofit sector earn 25% less than their male counterparts noted Ruth McCambridge in Nonprofit Quarterly, reporting on a survey performed by the Bayer Center Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University. Peggy Outon, Bayer Center’s executive director said, “We’ve made some progress and gained some ground before the Great Recession [in 2008], but since then we’ve hit a plateau. Nonprofit boards of directors must own their responsibilities as employers and citizens and refuse to allow pay inequity to be the norm.” How to Close the Gender Pay Gap? Data shows that the wage gap is the smallest for young women. According to an estimate…

Employee evaluations matter. They help to encourage communication between supervisor and employee, contribute to a lower turnover rate, and allow organizations to focus on the mission at hand and become the best nonprofit organization possible. The Bridgespan Group suggests in Performance Assessment: Setting the Stage for an Effective Process that evaluations should become part of the organizations culture. Starting evaluations is not easy, especially when it seems there is no time for what an organization already has to do. However, an organization needs to look at what evaluations can accomplish and the information that can come out of a successful evaluation. Nicole Phillips, director of human resources from the Bridgespan Group agrees, adding that it’s important for the managers who will be conducting performance reviews to be comfortable doing so. “If you have people delivering performance reviews who aren’t confident doing it, then the process won’t run smoothly,” she said. There are no set steps on how an organization should conduct evaluations. It may be informal or formal, could be a conversation, a supervisor review, or a peer review. What makes an evaluation successful? There are at least three elements to successful evaluations. Goal Setting: Make the importance of the goals…

Annual fundraising events can be a great asset. They help nonprofits raise awareness and engage people in their cause. But, let’s face it: events are not a one-size-fits-all road to fundraising success. How do you know if your organization is ready to take the plunge into the annual event limelight? Ask yourself these four critical questions to evaluate if a signature event is right for you. How has your organization performed on past fundraising events?   Before taking the annual event leap, first evaluate how past events have performed. Does your organization consistently struggle to reach its event goals? Does each of your events require one heroic effort after another to pull it off? Is there an expectation that your nonprofit will raise money with every event? Have your events turned into an entertainment channel, hiding away your mission? Why is your organization considering an annual event?   It is absolutely critical that everyone in the organization and on the board is aware of your event objectives and willing to contribute time, treasure and resources. A gala always sounds like a good idea; in reality it is a tremendous amount of work. Be clear about why you want to undertake…