From No Employees to a Paid Team

When a non-profit first starts there will be a team of volunteers who handle all the work. They might also double as board members. Those early days are usually pretty lean, but everyone pitches in and the work gets done.

When a non-profit grows a little more and the work that's required is too much for a team of volunteers that's when a paid staff position starts to look very helpful. That's also when lots of confusion takes over.

A new employee might believe it is their responsibility to, for example, order the give-aways for the next workshop. If that was a task previously enjoyed by a board member there might be confusion or even hurt feelings about the new assignment of duties.

Before hiring your first paid employee, spend some time writing a job description for each position. Then rewrite all job descriptions for current board positions and key volunteer positions.

The transition from no employees to paid employees is easiest when board, volunteers, and employees, all have a written clear delineation of work duties.

Before hiring your first paid employee, spend some time writing a job description for each position. Then rewrite all job descriptions for current board positions and key volunteer positions.

Yes, it's a lot of work, but the extra detail will be a better path to success as a team.

-Christie