Retaining Fundraisers (Hint: It's NOT All About The Money)

In the marketplace for fundraiser talent it is well known that demand currently outstrips supply. As a consequence, advancement and development leaders with whom I interact often describe one of the most (if not the most) significant challenges they face as the recruiting and retaining of frontliners and managers.  While the economic forces of supply and demand are certainly putting upward pressure on salaries, a common misconception about fundraiser retention is that it's "all about the money". 

That's a management and leadership cop-out because we know from multiple published annual employee satisfaction surveys that while compensation is a factor, the other four primary aspects that affect employee engagement retention include opportunities to use skills/abilities, job security, communication with management, and relationship with immediate supervisory (see, for example, the Job Satisfaction and Engagement Survey by the Society for Human Resource Management).

So in addition to economic forces which do play a part, what are some of the other real reasons people leave.  According to employee retention expert Leigh Branham, author of The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It’s Too Late , while most people indicate that they are leaving for more money or a better opportunity, 88% change jobs because of negative factors in their current workplace, ranging from subpar people management to cultural misfit. Branham explains: “Citing increased pay and more opportunity is a convenient thing to say, and managers are all too willing to accept these reasons.”   Branham goes on to identify the top seven reasons people leave as follows:

1) The job or workplace was not as expected.

2) The mismatch between job and person.

3) Too little coaching and feedback.

4) Too few growth and advancement opportunities.

5) Feeling devalued and unrecognized.

6) Stress from overwork and work-life imbalance.

7) Loss of trust and confidence in supervisor or senior leaders.

 

So what is an advancement/development manager or leader to do?  I've written previously about the process of Hiring Great Fundrasiers which addresses reasons 1 and 2.  Providing continuous coaching and feedback is an obligation that managers must take on with gusto.  And let's be clear: feedback is about performance or the "how am I doing?", and coaching is about "where am I going?".  The latter question is related to growth and learning.  Fundraisers are an ambitious group (bordering on hyper-achieving). Nothing is more frustrating for an employee than discovering he or she is out of runway.  In today's environment it is incumbent upon the senior leadership team in larger advancement/development organizations to have a process that reviews all employees in the organization and their opportunities for growth. Branham advises organizations to provide easily accessible information on career paths and competency requirements that spell out how employees can progress.

Reasons 5 and 6 point toward environment and culture.  Fundraising in larger, complex institutions can be stressful and thankless work.  The demands to raise more money are never-ending, and while the donors are thanked for their generosity, fundraisers are frequently overlooked.  Creating an environment of appreciation, recognition, and gratitude not only for donors but also for the fundraisers who work with them goes a very long way on the path of retention.  And while having a culture of appreciation helps folks feel good about the work they are doing, it does address stress and the work/life imbalance that often accompanies the fundraising profession.  Dealing with this factor is among the top reasons mid-career advancement/development leaders hire me as a coach.  One of the ways we work together to reduce stress and overwhelm for them and their teams is to encourage a culture where everyone commits to a culture of play, improvisation, and laughter.  In honoring this commitment, individual look to maximize energy (not manage time), while getting sufficient rest and renewal.

Finally, at the most basic level, fundraisers want to know that they can be successful in their roles and they want to work with leadership that has integrity, and whom they can trust.   All too often (especially with development professionals assigned to an academic unit led by a Dean) I see confusion, competing priorities, lack of vision, and poor alignment/communication.  That, my friends, is a ready-made formula for turnover.  In this regard, Branham (and I) recommends that leaders inspire confidence with a clear vision, a workable plan, and a belief in employees’ competence to achieve it.