Many non-profit organizations fail to realize that their mission to make the world a better place starts with their own internal culture. When staff are overworked, underpaid, and unappreciated, you’ll see high turnover and low morale.

But how do you begin to address a toxic culture and take steps to create the kind of work environment that honors donors and brings more joy to your staff? Check out the latest Question of the Month video below for a few actions that non-profit leaders can take to drive internal change and create a supportive workplace.

And if you’d like to learn more about how to nurture a collaborative culture around fundraising at your organization, check out our free White Paper, Building a Culture of Philanthropy.

Read the full transcript below:

Hi, I’m Jeff Schreifels. And today I want to talk about how you can take steps to address a toxic workplace culture at your non-profit. A toxic culture is a critical issue that’s contributing to high turnover in the fundraising world, and it’s something that you, as a non-profit leader, have the power to address if you’re open to change. What does a toxic culture actually look like? Signs include low morale, lack of communications, silos between departments, fear of management, and prioritizing policies over people.

If you recognize any of those trends, there are a few key strategies that can help. First, empower your teams with real autonomy to drive improvements, and provide regular accountability to help them meet their goals. Ask what resources they need to help them get there, and encourage open conversation so that people are comfortable sharing any challenges. Recognize people for their contributions and establish clear equitable guidelines for promotions. Share your vision with your staff, so that everyone’s aligned on where the organization is headed, and understands the plan for achieving realistic goals through calculated risk taking.

These changes, driven by leadership, management, and staff, can revolutionize your workplace culture. And if you’d like to work together to create a healthier, more vibrant workplace culture at your organization, send us a note. We’d love to connect about how we can support your vision for your non-profit. Thanks for listening and take care.