Proven Strategies

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COVID-19 Staff and Volunteer Morale

This Best Friends Town Hall focused on the methods used by leaders across the country to keep employees and volunteers safe, healthy, and happy through challenges.

The following panelists joined us to lend insight and expertise: 

  • Dr. Erin Katribe, Medical Director, Best Friends Animal Society
  • Jan Walker, Executive Director, Lynchburg Humane, Virginia
  • Meryl Schwartz, Personal Development Coach
  • Nancy McKenney, President/CEO, Marin Humane Society, California
  • Anna Stout, Executive Director, Roice-Hurst Humane Society, Colorado
  • Michelle Whaley, Animal Shelter Director, Pitt County Animal Services, North Carolina

Click the timestamps below to skip to that portion of the town hall:

  • CDC Update with Dr. Erin Katribe- 3:25
  • Intro to panel- 7:15
  • How do we keep our spirits up during all of this uncertainty, fear, chaos, and change- 9:00
  • What key steps has Marin Humane taken to measure employee morale- 13:51
  • Tell me about the ways you're still integrating some fun amid all the craziness- 16:29
  • Have you changed your communication in either mode or frequency and how has your staff responded to that- 20:38
  • How have you helped your staff understand your organization's financial challenges during COVID-19, without alarming or overwhelming them- 25:38
  • What have you done to manage all of the uncertainty that comes with these times- 32:38
  • What about productivity and working from home? How can we stay productive and help staff at the same time- 37:11
  • What is your "silver lining" in terms of how you are adapting your staff/volunteers to the changes COVID-19 inflicted on your organization- 41:47
  • What positive impacts have you seen as a result of your team's efforts to create a new normal- 46:01
  • How can organizations set up self-care/wellness programs for all employees during this stressful, physically distant time- 48:41
  • Do you have advice for managing staff who do not work well remotely- 53:08
  • What are your thoughts on empowering the community to get involved in lifesaving along the lines that we involve our foster caregivers in virtual adoption counseling? 58:07

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If you enjoyed this town hall, you can find our complete catalog of town halls here.