Staff Newsletter | Tuesday, May 10, 2022
“To accomplish great things, we all need teammates and a supporting cast to pick us up – and we need to look for opportunities to pick others up as well when they stumble.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Saturday, April 30, was a great day; our Y was in its glory. Healthy Kids Day brought families back in full force and the energy level was through the roof. Even the high-five was back in style (E, I hope I was in accordance with our safety protocols). It really was a great day. If there ever was a doubt about what people are craving now, the smiles were a clear indication that they were thrilled to be around one another again. Our team was “en fuego.” You were truly on fire, serving and making it special for every single person who walked through our doors. Our community needed a day like this – a day to have fun with other people – and our Y created the space to make it happen. YOU made it happen by giving the gift of joy to thousands of families. You are true servants and your hearts continue to lift up our communities and give them hope in a time they need it most … AMAZING!!
I have always believed that people who work at the Y are here because they are devoted to making the world in which they live a better place. Working at the Y is a calling. On Saturday, I had two interactions with longtime members who wanted me to know how the Y impacted their families. One person was literally in tears telling me about how the Y saved his daughter. As I reflect on what these two members shared with me Saturday, describing how their families have been impacted by this Y, it was clear that their gratitude was a testament to the people who breathed life into their families. They were talking about you – the staff of the Y, the heart of this organization. It is very clear to me that it is imperative we build a strong work environment, one that nurtures and strengthens our team for the important work we are called to do.
Rebuilding our Y is our organization’s sole focus, and there are positive signs we are moving in the right direction. Membership has risen to 70% of pre-COVID numbers (though the dollars associated with those numbers translate differently with Salesforce, now only 55% of pre-COVID dollars). As Scotty Jackson shared in Friday’s Staying Connected call, Camp registrations are exceeding expectations, forcing Scotty and his team to “squeeze” youth into cabins to accommodate the demand, a clear indication the community desires the Y experience for their families. Though there is reason to feel good about the trends, we still have challenges. The labor market continues to be upside down, making it difficult for us to recruit and retain employees. Last week, Michelle Rose shared with me that she had conducted exit interviews with two staff, who recently departed our Y, and both claimed they had not felt supported by our organization. That was tough to hear, but it is critical for us to know how it feels to work in this organization. These are certainly difficult conditions, but we need to understand what we can do to make it a better work environment. When I think about building our Y, I am crystal clear that it starts with our commitment to making this a supportive and nurturing environment. It starts with our investment in you, the foundation of this organization.
As challenging as the pandemic has been, we have worked hard to maintain a laser focus on using this time to adapt and evolve, making sure we come out of this period as a better organization. Last year, we made the decision to change the language of one of our previous strategic priorities, from staff experience to staff culture. The inspiration for this move came from Brian Flattum’s direction, challenging us to focus more on the rudiments of what is at the core of a positive work environment. The pandemic has brought to light that employers need to make changes to the workplace if they want to attract and retain employees, and it is more than just a higher salary (though we know we need to have a competitive salary structure, something we are committed to). In a recent Staying Connected call, we took our first step to build and strengthen the culture we want in our organization. Chris Spivey and Stephanie Roberts are heading up a task force designed to facilitate the process and compile the input from our staff throughout the association. Thus far, we have heard that having a voice is important to our team. Staff want to know that their input is acted upon and that they matter. In addition, professional development has been emphasized as being extremely important to our staff. Our staff want to grow and develop their skills. It is also clear from the feedback that our team wants a supportive and inclusive work environment. Many of our staff want to see continued advances in our work in diversity, equity, and inclusion, desiring a work environment that embraces them as individuals and that they are valued. Finally, having a sense of purpose in their work is important to our team. Our team values working in the Y because they feel part of something that is making a big impact in the world, and they want to be part of it.
As part of our weekly Staying Connected calls, we hear from various departments as they report on the progress throughout our association. It is encouraging to see that the numbers are increasing, a testament to all of the hard work you have put in for the past two-plus years. I am confident in the future of our Y because I know who we have on our team. You are the foundation of our Y – you make us great. I recognize that investing in our team is the best strategic move we can make to advance our Y; strengthening our culture is critical to that investment. Thank you for your continued effort; you are the true difference-makers. You are giving hope to our communities.
#OneY #StayStrong #StayWithUs