Respect: The Foundation of a Successful Work Culture

Today’s modern organizations are complex. Nonprofit leaders juggle a number of demands including fostering the organizational vision, achieving results and outcomes, working with limited resources (including part-time staff and volunteers), and creating a culture that encourages employee satisfaction. Organizational culture, both informal norms and formal norms, can create patterns for effective leader–follower relationships based on respect, trust, and open communication. This paper provides an in-depth review of one nonprofit organization that serves as a role model for creating such a culture. It describes in detail organizational initiatives that promote a positive impact on employee engagement. Additionally, qualitative findings from a company-wide survey offer suggestions for nonprofit leaders to increase employees’ involvement at work and enhance leaders’ positive workplace behaviors. The paper also discusses implications for leaders, employees, and nonprofit organizational effectiveness. Subscribe to JNEL