Ingram's December 2022

find child care—that sector was particu larly hard-hit by resignations in the past three years. Gronninger noted that cre ation of a day-care at Security Benefit had made a big impact on keeping employees in the building. Talent, though, isn’t always a paid func tion, and a talent pool is emerging that could help: the 10,000 Americans surpass ing retirement age every day. Amy Allison said several retired vol unteers are engaging with The Farmer’s House, including a board member since the founding who wants deeper engage ment upon retirement from the EY accounting firm. “We’re excited about the seniors that have availability and skill set and want to contribute,” she said. “We just happen to be sprawling across multiple locations and it can be difficult to plug them into the right spot. But they have amazing skills and time on their hands.” Seniors are active and doing remark able things, said Janet Baker. “They’re busy people, but if you want something done, you ask a busy person.” Chris Rosson shared the story of a retired partner form Deloitte who works with United Way for free, essentially. She wants to use her skill set, her craft, not just laminate things,” he said. “We compensate her, but she doesn’t want that. She’s there to support the organization, she does rec onciliation, she takes on unresolved issues. She is by far my favorite employee. There is a real opportunity for that type of engage ment. They don’t have a limited skill set. We have to tap into that.” André Davis brought up the emerg ing trend of a four-day work week, and its potential impact for all organizations, non-profit and for-profit companies. “Last January, we had 4.3 million people quit their jobs and not go anywhere else,” he said. “They were just revolting against work. They are rebelling against what work looks like for them. What we have to do is rethink how we are encouraging people to work in their best way. Is a 4-day work week it? We have to be open to the idea that it could be.” Jeremiah Enna, founder and executive director of the Culture House, said “we are not only having to increase payroll

1.

2.

3.

4.

1. One way to encourage interest in animal-welfare jobs, said Kathryn Mahoney, is by getting into schools to reach younger students. | 2. An on-site day care at Security Benefit helped meet the needs of working parents, said Kim Gronninger . | 3. Debbie Wilkerson addressed the passion that some employees have for non-profit work, inspiring many to give up higher-paying job opportunities. | 4. Too often, said Kate Marshall, younger non-profit workers lack the training to make an immediate impact with their participation.

offerings to new employees, but because of the dramatic shift in the economy, we’re having to upgrade current employees. Most people who work for us are working out of passion; their pay is not the same as it might be at the corporate level.” Senior volunteers, he said, have helped fill the gap, but “you have to figure out how to plug people in. You have to be prepared to benefit.” Debbie Wilkerson, CEO of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, noted that some talent has to be hired out, as with professional services. “We don’t pay partners’ rates, but we pay livable rates,” she said. Nonetheless, one employee, who could have been earning more with her professional-services background, chose to pass it up to work at the foundation because of its mission. “I promise, I can afford this,” the woman told Wilkerson.

The South Plaza Neighborhood As- sociation’s Kate Marshall said she’s on a pair of unstaffed boards, and discovering that people on those boards who are older “know how to behave on an unstaffed board. The younger folks who are coming in are just lost. They don’t realize who’s going to be doing the administrative stuff, they don’t do the hard stuff like pick up the phones and make the calls or book the rooms. When you look at the folks in their 60s who may be retired, they can give you the time you can’t get from others.” Everyone today, especially young people said Peggy Dunn, is so busy now, but if they don’t commit time to service today, “those enriching expe riences—someday, they may regret missing.”

49

2 0 2 2

Kansas City’s Business Media

p h i l a n t h r o p y i n d u s t r y o u t l o o k