Elida Meadows What does 'Employer of Choice' mean for the community sector?

The findings of this project were based on: a literature review; consultations with executive officers of the Community Services Peak Body Network and other community service organisations; unstructured interviews with 22 coordinators, general managers, project managers of nine case study organisations; and surveys completed by 84 paid workers and 29 volunteers from those case study organisations

The main issues identified were: 1. Communication 2.Eliciting Staff Opinion 3.Feeling Valued 4.Flexibility and Work/Life Balance 5.Workload 6.Organisational “Brand”, Industry Image and Professionalism 7.Volunteers, Boards and Management Committees 8.Recruitment 9.Physical Environment 10.Wages and Benefits

1.A clear vision. 2.Open communication, team spirit and team work. 3.Includes staff and volunteers in decision-making and change processes. 4.Conflict and disagreement are handled in a clearly defined process. 5.Adaptive, innovative and flexible. 6.Supports a good work/life balance. 7.Values staff and volunteers. 8.Clear expectations and measurable performance objectives. 9.Opportunities for professional growth and education.

“It is crucial that managers at all levels are aware of their roles and responsibilities in upholding positive workplace environments that can increase employee satisfaction. Dissatisfaction is the major cause of turnover and can have detrimental cost and environmental effects on the agency.” (Kane-Urrabazo, C. (2006). “Management's role in shaping organizational culture.” Journal of Nursing Management, 14, p.188)

In this study, staff responses to a series of statements assessing workplace practice demonstrate that: while most paid staff believed that their managers value their opinions and perspectives, 33.3% did not feel safe to openly say what they really think to anyone else in the organisation regardless of their position, and 7% were unsure.

The paid workers who responded to this survey place a lot of importance on feeling valued in the workplace. 58% cited feeling effective and valued as one of their top three reasons to remain in a workplace; 30% selected not feeling valued in the workplace as the second highest reason to leave.

create a work culture that encourages new ideas acknowledge and reward employees’ contributions and provide regular constructive feedback facilitate opportunities for development, learning and career growth value fun, flexibility and fairness support work–life balance and social responsibility. ( _of_choice_awards)

1.The quality of working relationships 2.Workplace leadership 3.Having a say 4.Clear values 5.Being safe 6.The built environment 7.Recruitment 8.Pay and conditions 9.Getting Feedback 10.Autonomy and uniqueness 11.A sense of ownership and identity 12.Learning 13.Passion 14.Having fun 15.Community connections (2004 Linnergy

How do we know what staff and volunteers need to feel valued and engaged? ASK THEM

“Staff in our sector - paid or voluntary - are in many cases the primary or only resource through which the organisation can fulfil its mission, and it is very important that we understand what factors most influence the ability of staff to do their best work in a sustainable way. We hope that through this survey, sector employers will better understand what staff need to do their best work and get results whilst sustaining occupational health, wellbeing and job satisfaction.” ( )