Making necessary and practical changes as a result of Covid
The charity sector, much like many others, has had to rapidly transform its operational practices during the Covid-19 pandemic. With demand for charitable services reaching an all-time high, adopting an attitude of continuous improvement and modernising existing processes where possible could help pave the way to a more efficient future for charities.
Overcoming the challenges
The Government’s social distancing guidelines have created a number of challenges in recent months, limiting fundraising opportunities and in some cases also impacting the support that charities have been able to offer within local communities. Unfortunately, this is likely to have a long term impact on many charities, with a reduction in support services for the community potentially resulting in less awareness of the charity, creating a vicious cycle.
While 2020 has been incredibly tough and 2021 looks like being similarly so, charities, there are a number of operational changes that organisations can make to guide them through this difficult period. These can be split into both short and long term solutions.
From a short term perspective, organisations should first consider whether it is possible to adapt their approach in line with current Government guidance. For example, running virtual fundraising events using video conference technology can present a safe alternative to traditional face-to-face events, while services that are no longer feasible to deliver, such as in-person meetings, can instead take place online.
Equally, with restrictions continuing to change on a frequent basis, it is important to consider a more forward-looking approach that encapsulates the pain points the sector is likely to face in the months ahead. By thinking this through in advance and forming long term plans that can be adjusted as the situation changes, charities can remain flexible, regardless of nationwide limitations.
Adopting a culture of continuous improvement is key to building resilience and preparing charities for the future. As well as revaluating systems and processes and assessing new ways of working to fit in with fast-changing rules, charities may also wish to take this opportunity to evaluate their areas for improvement. These may be in terms of those challenges they are facing currently or those they had prior to the pandemic.
Although Covid-19 has created a host of new challenges for the charity sector, certain issues, such as maintaining funding, did exist beforehand. Therefore, in order to create effective and long-lasting change, any actions taken should address both existing issues and underlying ones which may pose a problem in the future.
Golden triangle of change
For charities considering change, the golden triangle model can provide some structure and guidance. The triangle consists of people, processes and systems, with each element needing to be balanced in order for improvement in day-to-day operations to be achieved.
For successful change to happen, a charity’s people must be happy and engaged with new processes and understand the technology required to carry them out. Seeking support from a change management professional at this point can help charities to categorise and prioritise each element of change, and guide them towards the most suitable solutions.
A technological evolution
Whilst the pandemic has further highlighted the importance of technology, technological transformation is by no means a new challenge for the sector. The perceived complexity of introducing new processes and systems, and the need to deliver large scale change on an often small budget, can seem overwhelming. Admittedly, the events of 2020 have made the need to invest in technological transformation more urgent, yet it is important to remember that total change will never happen overnight.
With many individuals expected to continue to work from home in the medium term, the pandemic has emphasised the importance of embracing new systems. For charities, investment in new processes and systems opens up a new world of opportunities, both in terms of increased efficiency and potentially increased fundraising. In order to achieve the benefits of such changes, charities should take a step-by-step approach, dealing with the requirements involved in order of importance and their perceived benefits.
For example, updating donation systems to include contactless and online crowdfunding options may seem like a small change, however the result will enable donations to be made more easily. This could bring further charity-wide benefits. While contactless and online donation options are not particularly revolutionary, they are all part of the digital evolution, something that the charity sector can use to boost funding through improved accessibility.
A flexible approach
This year has brought many unexpected challenges, with the pandemic changing the way people work and the physical set-up of offices. However, charities now have the chance to utilise the lessons learned from the coronavirus outbreak and use them to drive positive transformation going forwards.
From an internal perspective, this might involve updating working policies and management styles or perhaps an overhaul of the working culture. This is a valuable opportunity to embrace the changes that have worked well so far, while adopting an attitude of continuous improvement.
The requirement to work from home has had a clear impact on the charity workforce. No longer having to commute and travel has helped to improve employees’ work-life balance and proved that people do not need to be in the office five days a week to fulfil their roles.
However, it is vital that charity employers recognise that the changes will not have been wholly positive for everyone. While many charity employees will be happy to continue to work flexibly moving forwards, there will be others who are desperate to get back to the office and regain some structure within their working week.
Likewise, it is also essential to provide training for those who will be using new technology to ensure they aren’t left struggling, especially if they will be working remotely. For example, training existing staff on how to use any new systems effectively, such as the cloud, can lead to skill and confidence growth amongst current employees. This could have the added bonus of reducing the need to recruit new talent.
Keeping people at the heart
In order to ensure that any proposed changes are long-lasting, it is vital that the time is taken to develop a comprehensive communication plan that allows the entire team to be kept up-to-date, regardless of where they are working from.
By taking charge of the messaging around any alterations to the organisation, charity leaders can stay in control and ensure that communication is always respectful, honest and consistent. Asking for employees’ opinions on any new processes can highlight factors that may have been missed by the trustee board and senior management, and allow tweaks to be made before change is rolled out.
It will be far easier to keep the team’s trust if they are aware of why the changes are happening, understand what the expected outcome is and have a level of input in them.
Never stop improving
Building resilience to future disruptions and adopting a culture of continuous improvement will be essential in ensuring that charities can continue their important work for many years to come. However, it is important to remember that charities do not have to tackle their largest challenge first. While large scale change is often the ultimate aim, minor adjustments to current processes are a positive first step.
Continuous improvement is a simpler process than many charities think. It is also vital for the survival of charities, especially in this current climate. By starting small and keeping people at the core of transformation, change doesn’t have to be something to resist. In fact, it can provide a host of benefits, allowing charities to continue their much-needed role long into the future.
