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In This Edition

New Employee Orientation Is Critical

Educating new employees about the organization including its history, its services and its management team is critical to their success. Learn from one CMCS client.

Privacy Is A Key AI Consideration

Many organizations adopting AI are using private platforms rather than public ones like ChatGPT. Find out why!

Results Of Our Last BIG IDEAS Survey

In our last edition of BIG IDEAS we asked readers whether their organizations ensure the board of directors is knowledgeable of the services and products their non-profit provides, by arranging regular presentations from employees at board meetings. Find out what BIG IDEAS readers had to say.

The Power Of A Few Statements

Most organizations have vision, mission and values statements. It is important they be motivational! Tom explores this issue in a Blast From The Past article from 2021.

NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION IS CRITICAL

The Story

Effective orientation of new employees is critical to the success of a non-profit organization. Which begs the question of how to make that happen.

The Skinny

Consider taking a leaf out of Elmira District Community Living’s playbook. EDCL provides accommodation, community participation and respite services to 100 people with intellectual challenges in Elmira, Ontario. It has 180 employees. Like other organizations that provide 24/7 services, EDCL is often hiring new staff.

EDCL offers a four-hour orientation program, broken into two parts. The first two hours start with an organizational overview from the Executive Director Cheryl Peterson, then presentations from the Services, HR and Finance Directors on the specifics of their departments. At the end of this segment, other members of the management team arrive and introduce themselves. So, in one go, new employees meet everyone from the management side, and gain insight into the whole organization and what it does.

This is hugely valuable. When my colleague Nancy Collins and I work with clients on strategic planning, a common observation from first line staff is that they don’t know much about the organization beyond the location where they work. This means their connection to the larger entity is limited. They don’t know about its expanse and can’t appreciate its many positive qualities.

The second two-hour segment focuses on EDCL from the outside. This is training that I provide, designed to offer broader context for EDCL and what EDCL does. It covers issues like the provincial ministry that funds EDCL, EDCL’s place within the broader service system, current issues that impact EDCL and new ideas that are driving innovation in services to people with developmental disabilities in Ontario.

In Elmira’s case, it has been a pioneer in creating housing for the people it supports and others in the community, which makes it stand out in today’s challenging housing environment. Knowing this adds to the pride new staff can take in being part of the organization they have joined.

The BIG IDEA

If you don’t provide an in-depth orientation for new staff, add it to your HR practices. You will reap many benefits from a more knowledgeable employee group.

PRIVACY IS A KEY AI CONSIDERATION

The Story

A recent study from consulting firm KPMG identifies an important finding related to the adoption of AI: 27% of organizations are using exclusively privately built AI tools. Why?

The Skinny

The answer is privacy and security!

KPMG’s managing partner Stephanie Terrill, Canadian Managing Partner of Digital and Transformation, Stephanie Terrill, explains: “Organizations are increasingly using proprietary generative AI tools because they’re concerned about the privacy and security of their proprietary data,” Ms. Terrill says. “Private generative solutions are ideal for keeping sensitive company data safe…”

Now, non-profits may feel they don’t need the security of privately built AI tools, but that is not always be the case. Doing generic research on a new service option is one thing, but inputting client data to compare with other similar organizations would be another.

When I asked ChatGPT what happens to data inputted into ChatGPT, it responded as follows:

Processing Your Input:

Your input is processed to generate a response. The AI uses your data to understand the context and provide an appropriate reply.

Privacy and Security:

If you are using ChatGPT through OpenAI or an authorized platform, your data is not used for training or improving the model unless explicitly stated and consented to (e.g., in research previews or special programs).
OpenAI may retain your data for a limited time for purposes such as monitoring for abuse or troubleshooting, depending on their policy.

Data Storage:

The exact retention policy depends on the platform you're using. If the session is hosted directly by OpenAI, input data is typically not permanently stored unless flagged for abuse or other terms of service violations.

Third-Party Hosting:

If you’re interacting through a third-party platform (e.g., an app that integrates ChatGPT), those platforms may have their own data handling policies. Always check the terms and privacy policy of the platform you’re using.

Sensitive Information:

It’s a good practice to avoid sharing sensitive, personal, or confidential information unless you're confident in the platform's data security practices.

The BIG Idea

Take particular note of ChatGPT’s last comment above, along with Stephanie Terrill’s statement accompanying her report: “Using both public and private generative AI tools is a smart approach, so long as organizations are strategic and deliberate about how they’re using them.”

The wise non-profit will be careful about any information it shares with any AI platform and will ensure it has addressed the privacy issue in advance.

THE POWER OF A FEW STATEMENTS

The Story

It only takes a few statements to define a non-profit organization. Sometimes those few statements also make it inspirational.

I was reminded of this, while reflecting on an organization that contacted me recently. This organization is dedicated to children (and youth) living in one of Canada’s inner-cities. It is driven by a single admonition from its founder: “No child who does not want to be alone, should ever have to be.”

This admonition leads smoothly and easily to the organization’s mission, which is to provide inner-city children and youth with a safe place to be.

Recognizing that other benefits could be offered, the organization then stakes out more expansive ground, explaining that while in such a safe space, children would be provided the opportunity to play, learn and become, thereby meeting their needs for socialization, recreation, personal development and crisis intervention, when necessary.

Finally, in its statements, the organization establishes two non-negotiable requirements of its clientele: self-help and self-referral. The children and youth must also give something in return. They must come of their own accord and must engage in what is offered.

These statements are brought to life in the form of a drop-in facility that is open from 8 a.m. to midnight during the week and twenty-four hours on weekends. About eighty children attend each week, of their own volition, participating in the programs they have decided on.

The Skinny
Simply by reading these few statements you have a very clear idea of why this organization exists and what it considers to be important. As well, because of their clarity and their merit, they motivate not only its employees and its Board of Directors, but also citizens of that city, inspiring them to be part of it and support it.

The BIG Idea

My BIG Idea for this week is to critique your organization’s key statements: do they clearly explain what it does and why? Do they motivate you? Do they motivate others to join you? If not, they need work.

SURVEY results

IIn our last edition, we asked “Does your organization ensure your board of directors is knowledgeable of the services and products your non-profit provides by arranging regular presentations from employees at board meetings?

Just 13% of respondents said their organizations arrange regular presentations to the board of directors from employees involved in various aspects of its operation. This is a disappointing result, since it is incumbent on board members to be knowledgeable of the organization and what it does. These presentations are a primary means for becoming knowledgeable. They offer the added benefit of connecting board members with employees beyond the Executive Director/CEO. If your organization doesn’t arrange these kinds of presentations, it’s time to start.

Our thanks to all BIG IDEAS readers who contributed. You are making non-profits better with the information you share.