Nonprofits and churches are driven by mission. But amidst the whirlwind of fulfilling your mission, it's easy for essential HR functions to fall through the cracks. Unfortunately, these oversights can lead to costly legal trouble, a demoralized culture and roadblocks to achieving your goals.
Don't let well-intentioned HR missteps derail the work that matters most. We've identified the top 5 HR mistakes we watch churches and nonprofits commonly make, and we'll provide the guidance you need to steer clear of them.
1. Neglecting Clear Policies and Procedures
The Problem: Incomplete or unclear handbooks create confusion and open the door for misinterpretations and missed expectations. Trust often erodes from a lack of clarity.
Solution: Annually revisit policies and handbooks with your team to make ensure everyone know what means to be on your team. (Need a handbook?)
2. Underestimating Compliance Requirements
The Problem: Labor laws change frequently, and most organizations struggle to keep up with changing wage, overtime, and classification rules. This leads to the potential of large fines, and a loss of integrity as an employer.
Solution: Find an HR expert, leave the legalese to them and focus on the work that matters.
3. Skimping on Employee Training and Development
The Problem: Money is short, and limited training budgets create a lack of investment in staff, leading to frustration, burnout, and untapped potential. Your greatest resource is your teams ability to be at their best, but that work has to be cultivated.
Solution: Work with a coach, or learning platform to develop your team with intent and purpose. Don't leave this to book clubs and self-learning methods.
4. Ignoring Employee Well-being
The Problem: Overworked and under-appreciated employees in mission-driven organizations are like a holes in a balloon, the leak the air out of your mission and damage to your reputation.
Solution: Use a tool like the Peace Index or Harvard's Human Flourishing survey to regularly check in with your teams overall health.
5. Ineffective Hiring and Onboarding
The Problem: A rushed hiring process to fill a gap without clarity and strong onboarding can lead to mismatched employees and rapid departure, wasting resources, and draining your culture.
Solution: Have written plan to find the right fit for your mission in this season. Spend time hiring correctly, and ensure their success with streamlined hiring and onboarding so they succeed quickly.
Ready to streamline your HR? Schedule a free consultation with our team.