The Foraker Group

Some nonprofits don’t have the luxury of a human resources expert on staff, so the function is assigned to other staff or the board. Since those individuals usually aren’t steeped in the discipline of HR, having assistance is invaluable, especially when there is an employee issue or concern. We have HR professionals who can help you with a wide-range of subjects. We stay current on workplace rules, regulations, and laws, and we can assist you with even the most sensitive matter.

For more information on how we can help, use our contact form or call us at 907-743-1200.

Timely, constructive feedback can create healthy environments for our staff to flourish and our missions to advance. A range of tools and approaches are available that make evaluating employees a much easier process. Using proven methods, our human resources team works directly with your board and/or your leadership staff to develop appropriate strategies for evaluating employees. If you are looking for an overview, we also offer a course where you can learn the components of an effective performance evaluation for executives and professional employees.

One component of the Foraker Nonprofit Sustainability Model is recruiting and retaining the right people at the right time. We support your organization in pursuit of the right people with recruitment efforts that are customized to your mission, values, and organizational culture. We offer a comprehensive service called Leadership Transition to help your organization navigate a smooth transition from one leader to another. At this time we do not offer search as a stand-alone service.

A mentor is someone who is called upon for their experience and guidance. Our mentors can support you in finding creative ways that are grounded in best practices to deal with everyday challenges facing both you and your organization. Mentoring at Foraker typically occurs via distance delivery allowing for flexibility, statewide accessibility, and affordability. While you determine the exact topics you need to explore, here are some topics many of our mentees have found valuable:

• Building relationships with other human resources professionals
• Applying learning to real-world situations
• Understanding best practices and staying current on changes

Human resources rules and regulations are one of the most fluid areas in your organization. Some of the ways we can help you include:

• Conducting an audit where we review the organization’s current HR function and practices
• Reviewing recordkeeping practices to make sure you are up-to-date and documenting correctly
• Making sure all the required documents are properly displayed in your workplace
• Keeping a watchful eye on compliance when you have the luxury of being proactive rather than addressing it in a time of crisis. Compliance topics may include:
  • Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9
  • Anti-discrimination policies, workplace, and boardroom culture
  • Anti-harassment policies
  • Compliance in personnel files
  • HIPAA risk assessment
  • Federal and state wage and hour provisions

We believe that employees should make an equitable and living wage and have access to benefits. While this can be a challenge, our hope is that each organization is positioned to recruit and retain top talent. It’s important to understand how your compensation and benefits compare with other organizations. This will allow you to hire the best people at a fair and equitable wage.

We provide a comprehensive view of your compensation and benefits program that includes:

• Evaluating each position for correct classification according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Reviewing salaries and wages to ensure an employee’s rate of pay is correctly positioned within the organization
• Establishing salary guidelines and wage scales for your organization
• Evaluating your full benefit plan, which may include medical, dental, and vision plans as well as other benefits that are attractive to employees
• Evaluating employee benefit options

In addition to these services, we produce a comprehensive Salary and Benefits Report every two years which is available for purchase. The report features salary data for 58 positions including executive director, finance director, development director, administrative support, accountants, clinical support, and program staff. It also includes benefit data on medical, dental, vision, holidays and leave, retirement plans, life insurance, and more.

Your employee manual can either protect your organization or possibly put it at risk. We can help you assess your current manual or help you develop a new one. Some of the areas we focus on include:

• Identifying the elements that are mandatory in your manual, and what parts are optional
• Making sure your manual is based on your organization’s size and addresses your conditions of employment
• Understanding how your manual supports your operations and reflects the culture of your organization

We will help you develop a manual that works for you based on best practices and specific rules and regulations.