Employee Engagement
A fundamental part of the mission of the NOLS Employee Association is to help guide NOLS from the employee perspective. We believe that front-line employees are the primary bearers of the NOLS mission through our direct work with students and within the organization. From this unique role, front-line employees have an essential perspective on school-wide decisions. Our goal is to further integrate this perspective into the school-wide decision-making.
Current work and future goals in this area include:
The inclusion of front-line employees on all committees making major decisions at NOLS, from the BoT to headquarters departments and branch operations. The perspective of front-line employees must be included in the decision-making process.
Direct involvement of front-line employees, at minimum on a consultative basis, at the time of the selection of any new ET member, including the NOLS President. The leadership role and influence of these positions is so great, and their likely tenure so long, that the inclusion of a front-line employee perspective is essential. This goal is directly connected to our philosophy that the work of our employees is central to the school and because of its importance, it's also our role to be a central part of decision making.
Work already accomplished in this area includes:
Having the NOLS Employee Association president attend NOLS Board of Trustee meetings, cultivating direct communication and quality rapport between the NEA president and both the ET and BoT.
The regular verbal and written commitment to staff excellence, including compensation and retention, which helps to develop employees with the experience and wisdom to contribute to planning and decision-making at a high level and with an irreplaceable perspective. We recognize that it will take ongoing effort to maintain this commitment, and guard against complacency in regards to compensation and retention.
Inviting NOLS Community Leaders Group and above figures to regularly attend NOLS Employee Association meetings, both to impart their knowledge and experience and to provide them with a direct and unfiltered ear to front-line employee thoughts, frustrations, and goals, while continuing to create safe spaces for our membership to discuss difficult issues.
Conclusion
Put simply, the view is different from the bottom, and while we value the experiences of the school’s administration, we also believe in bringing front-line employees’ perspectives more powerfully into NOLS’ operational and strategic thinking. The NOLS Employee Association’s goal is greater integration of NOLS workers with the NOLS administration, such that front-line employees are genuinely engaged in all levels of leadership at the school.