Communication is everything to a business but especially to nonprofits working hard to serve clients who need access to certain services. While nonprofit leaders focus on external communications and how those directly affect fund-raising, connecting clients to needed services, and finding excellent volunteers, I believe internal communications are just as important. The employees who care for and deliver frontline services to nonprofit clients are human. They too have a need for connection and to feel encouraged about how their specific roles impact goals, desired results, and the people they help.
At Buckner International, we put a direct and consistent emphasis on internal communications during the pandemic. I write weekly bilingual emails that go out to our entire organization, and we also hold frequent town halls that feature professional subject matter experts that can provide education to our staff on issues currently affecting our world, such as COVID-19, DEI efforts, etc. Feedback from our team members, globally and domestically, has been overwhelmingly positive. While our town halls are held virtually, it has been a positive experience in the digital venue where all staff can come together and have a forum to chat and learn what is going on at Buckner. It brings me great joy to see staff sharing positive comments and encouraging one another during our town hall events. That alone makes the extra investment of time and resources worth it. I see the tangible results as well. Our staff are resilient and persevering through the pandemic to continue providing excellent service.
It's been a blessing to me to collaborate with other nonprofit leaders on topics such as communication within nonprofits. I wanted to share with you my recent contribution on this topic but also connect you to the input from other nonprofit leaders on the Forbes Nonprofit Council. Read the top 15 strategies myself and other nonprofit leaders suggest to keep nonprofit teams connected and motivated.
Since the increased internal communications have been so positively received at Buckner, I anticipate this will stay part of our new normal going forward. I encourage other nonprofit leaders to embrace meaningful conversations with staff and feel confident that you will see a return on that investment.