Training Nonprofit Staff
Do you run or manage a nonprofit? If so, you already know that you probably have more work than your staff can usually handle and that, to do your job effectively and help make your community a better place, you need to be as efficient as possible. Fortunately, with the help of case management software, you can utilize the team to the best of their abilities. However, for this to work effectively, your team needs to be trained on how to use the software.
Here is more information on nonprofit case management software and how to train your team to use it effectively.
What is Case Management Software for Nonprofits?
Nonprofit case management software is a digital platform that is centralized and secure and that is designed to manage, report on, and track all your client’s services, outcome, and data. The goal of this type of software is to streamline workflows, take tasks off your team’s plates so they can focus on what they need to do, and convert paper files and notes to digital so your entire operation can be more efficient.
Training Your Team on Case Management Software
Once you have chosen to buy and implement nonprofit case management software, the next step is to train your team how to use it. Ideally, your team will have helped you choose the right software so they will already have some knowledge of it and have buy-in. If not, you should start with the ‘why’ and then go from there.
Start With Your Why
Your team may not understand why you’re choosing to implement nonprofit case management software and may feel threatened or intimidated by it. To overcome these obstacles, make sure you explain to them which problems this software will solve, how it will reduce workload, and the ways in which it will help them improve client outcomes. Once they see it’s a tool to help them do their jobs more effectively, they will be more likely to put time and effort into learning how to use it.
Assess Skill Levels
It’s important to realize that all your staff members will not start training at the same level of skill. Before you begin training, make sure you conduct a short skills survey, some informal interviews, and a quick tech assessment that will show you what levels they are at. That way, you can tailor your training sessions so that all members get the most out of them.
Use a Phased Training Approach with Hands-On Practice
Try to avoid attempting to fit everything into one session. Instead, use a phased approach to train your team on nonprofit case management software. Start with a system overview, then phase into core tasks, and finish up with advanced features before doing some guided exercises and scenarios to allow your team to complete typical tasks in a no-risk environment.
Helping Your Team Integrate Nonprofit Case Management Software
When you explain your why and train your team depending on their different levels of skill, you can offer a resource to them when incorporating nonprofit case management software. Remember, training will likely be ongoing so make sure you provide resources to help them to continue to achieve success.