One for the charities: Is everyone included in your shiny new policy?

We all know how important it is to have clear and consistent People practices, they ensure that everyone is treated fairly and equitably. In charities and not for profits, you’ll likely have staff, volunteers and trustees under your “people” umbrella. Unfortunately, many organisations often make the mistake of treating these three groups differently. For example, it’s common to find roles outside of the people team responsible for the trustee experience. More often than not this practice works ok, but we are increasingly experiencing this disconnect is leading to conflict, misunderstanding, and even legal issues. We’ve been thinking about why it's so important to align your people practices for employees, volunteers, and trustees, and not treat them differently.

First and foremost, you’re working your a** off to align your values to your staffing decisions, but you’re still hiring into trustee roles overnight by word of mouth, your volunteers don’t get an induction and nobody has signed any paperwork. Sound familiar? Don’t worry, practices like this are much more common than you think. You can be the change.

Treating these groups differently can create a culture of inequality and distrust. When volunteers or trustees feel that they're being treated unfairly, they may become disengaged or resentful, leading to a negative impact on the organisation's overall effectiveness, and if you are relying on them to keep your staffing costs down and bring a new energy to your mission, you’ll regret not making them as much as a priority as your staff.

Similarly, employees may feel that they're being overlooked or undervalued compared to other groups, which can also lead to disengagement, turnover, and other problems. By aligning your people practices for all three groups, you can create a more inclusive and supportive culture that fosters collaboration and mutual respect.

Finally, aligning your people practices will help you better achieve your organisational goals. When everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goals, you can more easily achieve your desired outcomes. “Them and us” only causes divide and distracts from your mission.

In conclusion, aligning your HR practices for employees, volunteers, and trustees is critical to the success of any organisation. By treating everyone equally and consistently, you can create a culture of equality and trust, better manage your resources, and achieve your goals. So, take the time to review your people policies and make sure that they apply to everyone, regardless of their status.

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