How to Survive…

Losing an Expert

When colleagues leave your association, don’t

let their expertise leave with them. Here are five

strategies to keep skills in-house.

People leave at every association…

They get new jobs…

They have babies…

They visit Wyoming…

They visit Wyoming…

…and decide to stay.

Turnover at non-profits in 2013 averaged

17%(SOURCE: NonprofitHR’s 2014 Nonprofit Employment Practices Survey)

In case you’re not a math person, that’s almost

2 in 10

It can be SCARY sometimes.

People take skills with them !

Like when the guy who runs your email

program leaves for the Peace Corps…

And your association can’t send email.

Here are five ways to keep important

skills in-house…

Here are five ways to keep important

skills in-house…

…even when people move on.

1. Embrace Documentation

Gather all

passwords and

logins for the

systems you

use.

READ MORE: Intuit’s Guide to Techniques for

Documenting Your Business Processes

1. Embrace Documentation

Gather all

passwords and

logins for the

systems you

use.

READ MORE: Intuit’s Guide to Techniques for

Documenting Your Business Processes

Collect

instructions for

these systems.

Be obsessive about it.

1. Embrace Documentation

Gather all

passwords and

logins for the

systems you

use.

READ MORE: Intuit’s Guide to Techniques for

Documenting Your Business Processes

Collect

instructions for

these systems.

Be obsessive about it.

Have your staff

write “how to”

documents that

explain your processes.

2. Start a Wiki

You need to

store instructions

and passwords

in a common

workspace.

READ MORE: PC Magazine’s Guide to How to

Create a Wiki

2. Start a Wiki

You need to

store instructions

and passwords

in a common

workspace.

READ MORE: PC Magazine’s Guide to How to

Create a Wiki

It can be a wiki.

Or a Google

Drive. Anything

that fits your workflow.

2. Start a Wiki

You need to

store instructions

and passwords

in a common

workspace.

READ MORE: PC Magazine’s Guide to How to

Create a Wiki

It can be a wiki.

Or a Google

Drive. Anything

that fits your workflow.

Give a thought

to security and

who can and

should have access.

3. Cross-Train Your Staff

No important

task or skill

should reside

with only one

person.

READ MORE: Intuit’s Guide to How (And Why) to

Cross-Train Employees

3. Cross-Train Your Staff

No important

task or skill

should reside

with only one

person.

READ MORE: Intuit’s Guide to How (And Why) to

Cross-Train Employees

Create

incentives for

people to train

each other and do other jobs.

3. Cross-Train Your Staff

No important

task or skill

should reside

with only one

person.

READ MORE: Intuit’s Guide to How (And Why) to

Cross-Train Employees

Create

incentives for

people to train

each other and do other jobs.

Vacations and

other leaves

are a great time to do this.

4. Obsess Over Support

Gather numbers

and email for

tech support,

including after

hours.

READ MORE: Lifehacker’s Guide to Getting Better

Technical Support

4. Obsess Over Support

Gather numbers

and email for

tech support,

including after

hours.

READ MORE: Lifehacker’s Guide to Getting Better

Technical Support

If you have reps,

get to know

them. Make sure

you have contact info.

4. Obsess Over Support

Gather numbers

and email for

tech support,

including after

hours.

READ MORE: Lifehacker’s Guide to Getting Better

Technical Support

If you have reps,

get to know

them. Make sure

you have contact info.

Call tech

support before

you have

problem, so you know the score.

And this might be the most important…

5. Manage for Change

Know the goals

and ambitions of

the people on

your team. Life

situations, too.

READ MORE: Fast Company on 10 ways to Lose

Your Best Employees

5. Manage for Change

Know the goals

and ambitions of

the people on

your team. Life

situations, too.

READ MORE: Fast Company on 10 ways to Lose

Your Best Employees

Create a climate

where people

are comfortable

discussing changes.

5. Manage for Change

Know the goals

and ambitions of

the people on

your team. Life

situations, too.

READ MORE: Fast Company on 10 ways to Lose

Your Best Employees

Create a climate

where people

are comfortable

discussing changes.

Do this right

and you’ll see

changes

coming – and adjust in time.

Yeah, this stuff is a pain and adds work…

Yeah, this stuff is a pain and adds work…

…but remember this:

The number of days it usually takes to replace

a mid-level association employee:

31 - 60(SOURCE: NonprofitHR’s 2014 Nonprofit Employment Practices Survey)

You have to keep operating while you hire...

…so gather your tools and keep your smile!

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