Kristen Diggs - "CHROs: What For-Profit Strategies Can You Learn from Nonprofits?"
Kristen Diggs, Chief Human Resources Officer for the San Diego Youth Service Organization, explores the connection between nonprofit and for-profit sectors in human resources. Drawing from her extensive experience, she highlights valuable lessons that for-profit companies can learn from nonprofits. She also highlights the importance of collaboration, mission-driven work, and staff mentorship, all of which contribute to enhancing employee engagement and retention. By integrating these strategies, for-profits can create more motivated and purpose-driven teams.
EPISODE:5 CHROs: What For-Profit Strategies Can You Learn from Nonprofits? A Conversation with Kristen Kristen Diggs Diggs Chief Human Resources Officer @ San Diego Youth Services
Episode Description Kristen Diggs, Chief Human Resources Officer for the San Diego Youth Service Organization, explores the connection between nonprofit and for-profit sectors in human resources. Drawing from her extensive experience, she highlights valuable lessons that for-profit companies can learn from nonprofits. She also highlights the importance of collaboration, mission-driven work, and staff mentorship, all of which contribute to enhancing employee engagement and retention. By integrating these strategies, for-profits can create more motivated and purpose-driven teams.
Table of Contents Introduction to Kristen Diggs (01:09) Full Podcast Episode (28:15) Navigating the Shift from For-Profit to Nonprofit HR Culture (02:32) Revamping HR Processes and Programs in a Mission-Driven Organization (03:46) The Importance of Aligning Mission and Culture in Nonprofit Work (02:52) How Core Values Drive Employee Retention in Nonprofits (03:36) The Role of Communication in Empowering Nonprofit Staff as Ambassadors (01:49) Amplifying Organizational Values Online for Nonprofit Organization Success (01:38) Mentorship Transforms Nonprofit Leadership and Employee Growth (02:01) Empowering and Aligning Workforce Culture for Organizational Success (01:24) Short - How Core Values Drive Employee Retention in Nonprofits (00:49) Short - Mentorship Transforms Nonprofit Leadership and Employee Growth (00:50)
(1:09) Introduction to Kristen Diggs “I spent eight years building the HR department at a tech company with 80 employees. When I started, there was no dedicated HR staff. Over those eight years, the company grew to nearly 2,000 employees globally. This experience gave me a solid foundation in HR, allowing me to understand each HR function.”
Full Episode “Invest in your people, and ensure they understand how their work relates to the bigger picture. Explain how what they do contributes to the products you’re creating, the services you’re providing, and the programs you’re developing, and how they play a vital part in that process.” 5
Full Episode: Topics Covered 1. Collaborative Decision-Making in Nonprofits 2. The Essential Role of Mission and Core Values 3. Enhanced Communication and Mentorship
(2:32) Navigating the Shift from For-Profit to Nonprofit HR Culture “Nonprofits focus on collaboration, thoughtfulness, taking the time to make decisions, and rolling out initiatives, all as part of a task force.”
(03:46) Revamping HR Processes and Programs in a Mission-Driven Organization “In a mission-driven organization, you need everyone bought into what you’re doing. Everything revolves around understanding what we’re doing and how is it bought into our mission that we’re working for.” 8
(02:52) The Importance of Aligning Mission and Culture in Nonprofit Work “It's super important that we live our values every day. Everything relates back to the mission. For every task that comes across my desk, I ask how it relates to and supports the organization's mission, which is currently to support the youth of San Diego.”
(03:36) How Core Values Drive Employee Retention in Nonprofits “When you are in a nonprofit, your mission, vision, and values have a much greater impact on individuals. You'll start to think that you have to support this mission because it’s not just about making a dollar. That’s what we constantly consider, and that’s why we’re so tied to our mission—it affects us personally.”
(01:49) The Role of Communication in Empowering Nonprofit Staff as Ambassadors “It’s crucial for your executive leadership and marketing teams to stand in front of the staff, updating them and being transparent about what’s happening in the organization. This ensures that everyone understands the organization’s activities and can effectively represent the agency.”
(01:38) Amplifying Organizational Values Online for Nonprofit Organization Success “We put a lot of effort into understanding our staff, their wants and needs, and working with them to create compelling reasons for why they should stay at San Diego Youth Services. Any negative publicity can potentially affect revenue in a nonprofit, so it's crucial to represent your brand well.” 12
(02:01) Mentorship Transforms Nonprofit Leadership and Employee Growth “Mentorship, leadership, and coaching are about understanding your employees and helping them get to where they need to be.”
(01:24) Empowering and Aligning Workforce Culture for Organizational Success “Make the development or updating of your mission a collaborative process. Involve people, and seek input from the staff to understand their perceptions of the organization.” 14
YOUTUBE SHORT: “When you are in a nonprofit, your mission, vision, and values have a much greater impact on individuals. You'll start to think that you have to support this mission because it’s not just about making a dollar. That’s what we constantly consider, and that’s why we’re so tied to our mission—it affects us personally” - Kristen Diggs
YOUTUBE SHORT: “Mentorship, leadership, and coaching are about understanding your employees and helping them get to where they need to be.” - Kristen Diggs
Kristen Diggs Kristen Diggs is the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) for the San Diego Youth Service Organization. With over 25 years of experience in human resources, Kristen has navigated both for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Her career began in the technology industry on the East Coast, where she was instrumental in developing HR departments from the ground up. Kristen currently leads and is president-elect at her local chapter in San Diego.
About Eastridge Established in 1972, Eastridge Workforce Solutions is an employee-owned provider of full-service talent acquisition and management solutions for companies globally. Eastridge provides a full range of solutions including professional / technical and industrial staffing. We also provide workforce management solutions such as employer of record, recruitment process outsourcing, as well as managed service provider programs. Our services are backed with Talient, a proprietary workforce technology that streamlines every step of managing your extended workforce.
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