Investing in your team is investing in your impact: here is how to do it
You've identified promising talent to assist in managing your programs. She is deeply passionate and dedicated, with aspirations to become a catalyst for change in environmental conservation. However, three years later - despite your optimism that you were nurturing her to be a future leader within your organization - she decides to transition to a private company, even though the work there is considered 'uninspiring.' This decision surprises you because you believed you had a strong rapport, and she believed in your organization's mission. This prompts you to question what may have gone wrong: "Did I invest enough in her? Did I make her feel valued?"
Time and time again, it has been demonstrated that organizations able to retain talented individuals are those that provide good compensation packages and invest in their growth and development. However, it's often easier said than done, especially when leaders are uncertain where to begin or feel they lack the necessary resources. But it is achievable, and here are some ideas to get you started.
Pay your team well →
In conservation, especially when starting, many of us are expected to work for minimal pay. It’s the passion that drives us, not the paycheck. And to an extent, that is okay at the early stages of an organization. What is key is that as the organization grows beyond this, as it becomes more professional, its scope widens, and workloads increase, then it also needs to prioritize competitive pay. Recognizing that you need to pay competitively is a start, and can help you to frame and articulate your fundraising goals and needs to funders. And even when you don’t have the money, letting your team know that you’re trying to get it is important.
Ensuring equity in pay is also vital. It's been commonly accepted that international teams or individuals get paid more than the people working on the ground in local organizations. We need to stop accepting this as fact across the conservation and environmental fields and start working to change it.
In a LinkedIn post, Maliasili's founder, Fred Nelson, emphasized the above points, highlighting the following:
There is increased competition: Today, more competition exists than ever for top talent within the environmental-social sector. Non-profit organizations must compete with environmentally-oriented, profitable, and growing businesses that often offer more pay and at times, are mission-focused.
We need to change limiting mindsets: To foster growth and effectiveness, non-profit organizations must break free from limiting mindsets and practices that impede investment in their teams. While organizations often start small and with modest resources, they must adapt their mindsets as they expand - it’s crucial to ensure that you invest in your team as your work and scope grow. The problem we often see arises when organizations expand their operations without corresponding adjustments in their investment in people. This adjustment as the team grows could include effective financial restructuring, fundraising strategies that factor in investing in people such as competitive salaries and opportunities for professional growth, and more.
Prioritize cultivating supportive funders: Conservation funders must start to change their mindsets too, and provide resources for core organizational costs, and recognize that investments in people and teams are the foundation of delivering impact. Leaders should find opportunities to cultivate, influence, and work with funders who see the value in investing in people. Shifts are needed in outdated attitudes toward limiting overhead costs and prioritizing project-level activities over core organizational functions. This article has some useful thinking to help allay fears and help funders make courageous decisions when it comes to supporting organizations to achieve impact.
Prioritize mental and physical well-being →
Investing in your team shouldn't be solely financial; it should also include mental and physical well-being. As a leader, you can:
Provide resources: Recognize the physical and emotional toll that conservation work can take on individuals, who often work for prolonged periods away from their families. Make sure you’re investing resources for mental health and well-being. For field teams, providing regular and well-balanced meals, decent living quarters, and enough time off, can make a big difference. At Maliasili, we provide an annual wellness stipend to our team to use how they deem fit. Other organizations encourage mental health days, or simple things such as designating places to relax, or play (we know of a team that has a table tennis set up which everyone loves!)
Promote flexibility where possible: Research has shown that flexible working hours can offer a wealth of benefits to both individuals and organizations. Implement flexible work arrangements when possible so your team can manage their schedules according to what works best for them. This also allows them to balance work and life better - for example picking up kids from school, going to the gym, connecting with their loved ones, etc.
Foster a positive culture: Cultivate a supportive and inclusive workplace culture that places value on work-life balance and encourages team members to take breaks, maintain good physical and mental health, and avoid burnout. Ensure your team works sensible hours, rests and recuperates after busy periods, and takes their total leave allocation.
Leaders need to do more than talk about well-being. They need to prioritize it and role model it themselves.
Train and upgrade your team’s skills →
The conservation field is dynamic, with urgent challenges constantly emerging. Enhancing your team's skills not only demonstrates your confidence in them, but it also encourages innovation and adaptability. It’s therefore important to prioritize professional development and integrate it into everything the organization does. In addition, professional development fosters a culture of improvement and continuous learning. Here are a few ideas to make this happen.
Focus on internal development: In conservation, we often prioritize external opportunities for professional development, yet some of the greatest learning opportunities are often within our own organizations. These include:
Promoting a culture of feedback that empowers individuals to continuously learn and improve their skills. Feedback should not only be top-down, but also bottom-up.
Effective management which nurtures your team's growth, and supports their journey toward becoming more skilled, motivated, and valuable contributors to the organization.
Interacting and working closely with peers which promotes individualized learning and skill development, as it allows for the exchange of diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise, ultimately enriching one's knowledge within the organization.
Providing stretch assignments that challenge individuals to take on tasks that require them to go beyond their comfort zones, encouraging innovation, problem-solving, and personal growth.
Champion inter-departmental learning opportunities that promote learning across different teams.
Supporting internal mentoring and coaching which provides personalized guidance, knowledge transfer, and ongoing support. Nothing better than getting mentoring and support from someone who understands the organization and industry well!
Build an internal practice of learning and sharing of new ideas, content (articles, podcasts), and new approaches.
Cross-organizational exchanges: Consider doing an exchange with a like-minded organization to expose your team to different work environments, best practices and diverse perspectives, broadening their learning horizons.
Identify training opportunities: Provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities to equip team members with the latest knowledge and skills relevant to conservation efforts. This can include workshops, conferences, online courses, and certifications.
Attend learning events and trips: Encourage team members to attend conferences and seminars to network, learn from experts, and stay updated on emerging trends and best practices. Find opportunities to showcase younger or lesser-known staff and get them opportunities to speak, get visibility etc.
Promote further education: Support advanced degrees or specialized training for staff members who want to deepen their expertise in specific conservation areas.