“As You Teach, You Learn.”

– Jewish Proverb

Steven BakerMay 25, 2011

Washington, DC

Maximizing Employee

Satisfaction and

Organizational

Effectiveness at BBYO’s

Annual Professional

Staff Conference

Agenda• Shalom!• Background• Project Outline– Questions Asked– Thesis

• Findings• Recommendations• Evaluation• L’hitraot!

Project Outline

Refinement• Narrowed in to Staff

Conference as one strategy of PD

Research• Surveys, Evaluations, Focus Group, Personal

Connections

Concept • Broad PD look at BBYO• Jewish connection?• Questions asked

Analysis and Recommendations

• Thesis• Three-Point Plan

BackgroundWhat was in this for me?– Past four years with BBYO has been a growing

experience for me professionally and personally– Active participant in the planning and

implementation of Staff Conference and other PD

– Tangible Experience • Business and Judaic-related

Questions Asked• Can the pluralistic Jewish approach of BBYO be applied to SC in a manner that is meaningful

to all BBYO employees, including those that are non-Jewish? If so, how? If not, why?

• What styles and types of PD are wanted, needed and able to be focused on at SC?

• Is there any established link between Jewish values, content, history or practice that other Jewish organizations utilize in their PD strategies?

• What PD resources, practices and strategies exist in the Jewish communal world that can be applied to BBYO?

• How can the unique culture and complex organizational structure of BBYO be used to strengthen SC?

ThesisThis project provides BBYO with

quantitative and qualitative research on how its strategies and outlook for its

Annual Professional Staff Conference can be leveraged to maximize

employee satisfaction and organizational effectiveness.

FindingsStrengths

Internal & Current to BBYO

• Networking• Skills Training Sessions• Communicating Initiatives• Dynamic Stability

WeaknessesInternal & Current to BBYO

• Mismatched goals between management, field and Int’l office staff• Schedule• Use of educational opportunity – Judaic and career-oriented skills

OpportunitiesExternal & Potential to BBYO

• Partnerships – Jewish and secular• Track System• Dynamic Stability• Pre/Post PD opportunities

ThreatsExternal & Potential to BBYO

• Economy• Weather• Size of work-force

Findings• Focus Group– Conducted at Staff Conference 2011 – 16 participants made up of every

constituent– Desire better logistical structure, skills

for their career and life, and different approach to Judaic education

Findings• Staff Conference Evaluations– 76% felt SC was “good” or “Very good”– Networking most valuable aspect– Participants felt prepared– Success depended on constituency– Participants want less– Program Round Robin = A+– Logistical issues

Findings

Findings

Findings

Findings• FY 2011 Employee Satisfaction

Survey– Since 2008, overall satisfaction fell eight

percentage points from 76% to 68%

–More positive responses than negative ones, but nine out of 12 fell from their rating in the 2008 survey

Findings• FY 2011 Employee Satisfaction

Survey continued…– There were four statements that showed

an increase in satisfaction in the 2011 survey:BBYO’s senior management listens to employees (61% to 64%)

I understand the BBYO vision and annual objectives (89% to 95%)

I feel that my personal/regional goals and objectives relate to BBYO’s annual organizational objectives (82% to 92%).

BBYO promotes a healthy work-life integration (39% to 43% so overall, still negative)

RecommendationsThree-Point Plan

1. Purpose and Goal Communication

2. Track System3. Length of Staff Conference

Recommendations• Purpose and Goal

Communication–Management meeting in fall – Thoroughly go through evaluations all

things PD– Set goals and objectives for Staff

Conference• Communicate these goals clearly…

Recommendations• Communication continued…– Examples• Hillel

http://www.hillel.org/conferences/institute/default• Jewish Community Center Association

http://pc2011.jcca.org/– Videos• Began this past year• Continue in future with more and from

management

RecommendationsTrack System– First-Year Employees– International Office– Veteran Field Staff– Management

RecommendationsLength of Staff Conference– Shorten by one day and begin on

Monday rather than Sunday• Portrays better work/life balance• Doesn’t leave staff (as) exhausted

– Add optional Professional Development opportunities before/after• Provides “choice” that is desired

EvaluationQuestion: Can the pluralistic Jewish approach of

BBYO be applied to SC in a manner that is meaningful to all BBYO employees, including those that are non-Jewish? If so, how? If not, why?

Answer: • Other Jewish nonprofits staff conferences.• BBYO can apply its pluralistic Jewish approach that is meaningful to all employees by allowing the Jewish education to be a choice rather than a mandatory aspect.

EvaluationQuestion: Is there any established link between

Jewish values, content, history or practice that other Jewish organizations utilize in their PD strategies?

Answer: • Overall tone through word choice and areas highlighted• Cultural Link• Kivun, CLI, the Jewish Federations of North America’s

Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence • However, there are not any real credible links between Judaism and PD strategies currently, besides those I stated in the background.

EvaluationQuestion: What sort of PD is wanted, needed and

able to be focused on at SC?

Answer: BBYO Professionals want career-oriented training rather to enhance their professional skills, not their BBYO-specific ones.

Question: What sort of PD resources, practices and strategies exist that can be applied to BBYO?

Answer:• Opportunities of SWOT• Recommendations• Hillel & JCCA models

EvaluationQuestion: How can the unique culture and complex

organizational structure of BBYO be used to strengthen SC?

Answer: • Dynamic Stability… Staff prepped for changes• Opportunities & Recommendations• BBYO Management to use videos

ThesisThis project provides BBYO with

quantitative and qualitative research on how its strategies and outlook for its

Annual Professional Staff Conference can be leveraged to maximize

employee satisfaction and organizational effectiveness.

Homework1. Management to discuss

recommendations of this project

2. Implement wanted changes for FY 2012

3. Hire Steven Baker as a consultant.

L’hitraot“So long and thanks for all the [non-shell] fish.”

Special thanks to Rachel Hochheiser-Schwartz for being such an integral sounding board and participant in this entire project… and for all that you have done for me and PDI over the last four years.

Also, Marlene Shultz for being my Capstone advisor and giving me very tangible and worthwhile comments and feedback along the way.

Finally, my heartfelt devotion extends to Matt Grossman and the Jim Joseph Foundation for this incredible gift.

A+