The latest installment in our series of interviews with 2015 Risk Summit speakers is Arley Turner's interview with Jackie Rucker Bohi, Senior Manager of Human Resources and Volunteer Programs at Found Animals. Jackie brings years of nonprofit HR experience to the table, and has worked with a variety of unique and diverse organizations, including the Washington National Opera, Wolf Trap, and Shedd Aquarium. Learn more about managing your volunteer program at Jackie's 2015 Risk Summit session, The Producers: Managing Volunteer Risk.

AT: What are two or three things that make volunteer roles especially risky?

JRB:

1. Finding the balance between staff and volunteer roles.
2. Realistic volunteer expectations from the staff.
3. Strong emotional attachment to the mission often brings strong opinions.

AT: Volunteers are often key to achieving an organization's mission but many nonprofit leaders struggle managing volunteers effectively. What are the most common misconceptions about volunteers?

One of my favorite songs on the Channel 33 playlist is "A Little Respect," by Erasure. I was reminded of that song this week while teaching a seminar on "HR Risk," and later while reading the Schumpeter column article, "The Enemy Within," in the July 25th issue of The Economist. The Schumpeter column (blog) explores business, finance and management topics and is named after the Austrian-American economist Joseph Schumpeter. "The Enemy Within," begins by reminding the reader that, "Employees are often said to be a company's biggest resource," as well as "its biggest liability."

The column continues by describing five types of "employees-turned enemies--or embarrassments:" the fraudster, the vandal, the high-flying trusted employee, the low-level employee who publishes embarrassing content on the Internet, and the insider who colludes with an outsider to embarrass or defraud his employer.

The column suggests "three precepts" for managing the risk of employees becoming your mission's worst nightmare. The first two precepts are costly, both in terms of dollars and workplace trust: "focus on the people who have the greatest capacity to do harm--those who control money and information" and "install software" or hire "forensic accountants to double check the accounts."

The third precept--treat your employees with respect--is not only the least expensive strategy, but it is the best way to prevent workplace ills ranging from fraud, to poor morale, to declining commitment and claims alleging unfair or illegal conduct. As Schumpeter wisely notes, too many organizations pay only lip service to the value of workplace respect. "They may embrace the rhetoric that nothing matters more than their people, but too many workers feel that nothing matters less."

Nonprofit employers aren't exempt from unkind treatment in the workplace. During interviews with staff at nonprofit clients, we too often hear about leaders who direct the lion's share of institutional compassion outward, saving only meager scraps of kindness for the people frequently labeled the nonprofit's "most valuable assets."

If respect isn't a core value in your workplace, or if leadership's compassion is externally facing, resolve to take the following steps. We've used the title of another popular song--R-E-S-P-E-C-T--to help you remember these tips.