Do you run a non-profit? If yes, you’ve no doubt been struggling to reopen amid the coronavirus chaos. The Nonprofit Risk Management Center published a  Here are a few strategies to help you reopen your organization, and stay open:

Team spirit for the win!

As the saying goes, there’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’ – especially this past year where everyone has had to take on more challenges to keep their non-profits functioning. Giving your team the opportunity to work remotely gives them one less thing to worry about in these stressful times and is a great way to demonstrate your trust in them! 

Furthermore, make sure to get everyone’s feedback regarding your resumption strategies – allowing your team to discuss with you what their respective return-to-work schedules would look like lets them know that their wellbeing is prioritized in your organization.

Load up on gear

As many employees are working from home currently, and some indefinitely, make a plan to obtain the equipment they would need to work better. For instance, if they make a lot of Zoom calls, perhaps purchasing a headset with better audio could be just the thing needed to minimize disruption. You could also make a plan to deliver any needed equipment/resources left behind in the office or have them collect it. 

Flexibility is a strength

Now more than ever, with disruptions occurring at nearly every stage of operations, it is key that leadership displays an understanding, flexible, and compassionate attitude towards their subordinates. There is a great deal of uncertainty in these times, hence fluidity and creativity in achieving goals is a necessity. People will be inspired more by ideas than by following a rigid do/don’t list. 

Revisit the rules

Ensure that you bring your organization’s policies to the forefront to help your team members answer their questions and update them where needed. It pays to go through your guidelines to check that they take into account the current situation and are displayed in a cohesive manner. Key areas that may need to be retooled could include access restrictions, work-from home policies, leave for caregivers, staff travel, etc.

Table unfeasible plans

Assuming this hasn’t already been done, comb through your projects to find at least one plan that cannot be achieved this year, or in the wake of the Covid situation. In fact, a great exercise could be to view your nonprofit as a startup and reimagine its goals in the foreseeable future. While it may be radical and bold, ensure that you make the changes needed to keep afloat in these times.

Another great way to protect your organization and employees is to purchase non-profit insurance. Staying financially secure during these times is a necessity, not an option (if you have the means). To learn more about non-profit insurance, get in touch with the experts at Carriage Trade Insurance - they’re here to do the heavy lifting of finding the right policies to fit your budget and your organization’s needs.