Although many of the policies which apply to staff will be covered under personnel management, there are some administrative policies which outline how staff are expected to function. The paid employees of any agency need to know how they are supposed to interact with the unpaid personnel who may supervise them and/or report to them, but certainly outnumber them! The way in which staff balances the needs and requirements of volunteers is a significant determinant of the organization’s success. An executive director in a community-based literacy agency is responsible for volunteer administrator, among many other duties.
Staff, however, cannot be expected to juggle so many competing interests without certain supports built in at the policy level. They need to be assured of some measure of employment protection, even though they may understand the uncertainty of consistent funding levels. They also deserve systems which reward, motivate and recognize staff performance in the same way efforts are made to appreciate volunteers. What creative staff management strategies can be developed to compensate for the mediocre wages and demanding working conditions that often prevail in the field, while preventing burnout? These are the policies which go beyond overtime and training and development.
