Why we work full-time for BB and why we leave

Why are they working for this organisation?

This question inevitably pops up in the minds of most people whenever they meet others who work in NGOs like The Boys' Brigade, especially if NGO workers are highly qualified with a degree, amplified if it's an overseas degrees or even a masters. Why would a person decide to work for a low-paying job with little chance of career development when they could be earning big bucks?

For me, when I started working for BB Malaysia it was a decent starting pay. It was higher than the average starting pay in the corporate sector for those with a basic degree (though, unfortunately, my employers then either forgot I had a post-graduate degree.. or didn't care). Unfortunately, annual increments were little. Career advancement options were limited - you would only be an executive or the executive secretary (two levels only), so it is unlike the corporate world where you can get promoted to lead an entire department, and more importantly to be given a pay-scale to match all the stress you have to put up with.

Salaries in NGOs are little - a fact most of us knew and accepted before signing on. So why did we bother working for them? Here are some of the 3 reasons why:


Reasons for Joining NGOs

Shared Personal-Organisational Values
Your values and beliefs are aligned with that of the organisation. It's not just a matter of doing what you are good at (skills, knowledge, and experience), but more importantly, whatever your passions and interest are. I always said that working in the BB was a job I would've done for free. The opposite is true, in fact, quite miserably true. For example, if you are one who strongly feels that poverty is killing the world, then being in the stock exchange helping rich people get richer would probably screw up your sanity.

It's Fun
In any well-gelled organisation, working can be a great joy. You get to work with other pleasant and passionate people from all over the country or even internationally, travelling for "free" (paid for by office), and working with the very people we serve (in BB's case was young people). Organisations like the BB also presents many challenges - which is very good and important! Without challenge, you can easily be bored and depressed in the office or on the field. The nature of the job is also one that is dynamic - you never just do a fixed set of task (work routine), as NGOs are unable to hire a lot of staff, which in turn prevents specialisations of task.. so you need to do a bit of literally everything. The variety and diversity in task is also what makes working in NGOs interesting.. definitely beats the normal routine on a desk job!

Calling
It is not about the money. There is a spiritual component involved. People in NGOs cannot see it as "just a job", but as something they were born to do, or where God has placed them. If it was just for the money, don't even bother thinking about applying. Origins of this motive could be from sentimental experiences, inspirations from a figure in the organisation, touched by things they saw on the media, etc. They need to believe they are there for a purpose bigger than their own.


Reasons for Leaving NGOs
So if it is all fun and rosy, why do people leave? Here are 3 reasons why.

Lack of Interpersonal Cohesion
NGOs are very much a people-oriented thing. You need to have good team-mates (colleagues), a good boss, good target market (customers), and good supporters (generally all stakeholders). Each of these factors alone can cause one to leave. For example, if you have a pain-in-the-ass colleague which you cannot get along with.. it could really mess with your flow in the office, creating conflict stress, leading to unhappiness. Bad relations with your boss, alone, will be enough a reason for you to leave - how does one take continuous instruction from someone you dislike? These organisations need plenty of mutual trust, respect, and understanding. If you cannot be a "family" in the office and instead have corporate sector-styled boss-employee relationship, things will fall apart like clockwork (expect a reliable turnover between 1-2 years for Gen X and Y employees). Being in NGOs is not just about getting a set of key performance criterion completed, like a production plant.. taking care of employee needs are paramount.

Different Personal - Actual-Organisational Values

As odd as it sounds, not everyone in an NGO may be in it for the cause it exists for. They would do something totally contrary to its vision and values. These sorts of individuals can be from the grassroots or even sitting right at the top. In essence, as a worker you are not seeing the purpose of the organisation being fulfilled, so why are we working there for in the first place? Religious organisations like The Boys' Brigade doesn't make it more immune to "non-Christian" behaviours from its stakeholders. Even the ones running religious-based NGOs can behave in ways totally against the organisations values (lying, manipulation of data to support their arguments, money-statistics focus vs. quality/integrity of service delivery, etc) . For true believers in the cause, unrealised values and mission can murder passion. 

Life Demands Catching Up

As harsh as it is, money IS important. Unless workers in NGOs intentionally go celibate and stagnant, this will always be a factor.. especially if you want to get married, start a family, pay for car/house loans, put your kids in school, college, and university, pay for piano lessons, tuition, food, Astro, etc, etc, etc. Events with the economy, inflation and other events factor in. Giving NGO workers financial security is very important. So please donate more! Workers also need to be given chances for development, perhaps unlike the corporate sector which has career management schemes in place, but some form of employee development is nonetheless necessary. Employees need to keep challenging themselves, getting empowered, trying new things, etc. Give them a chance improve their skill-sets, assign more responsibility, and allow them to "invest" their lives in organisation. 

Tip for Employers to Keep Employees in NGOs

Don't just be a "Boss"

Unlike other sectors, being the tough, assertive, authoritative figure doesn't work in an NGO. You are dealing with a bunch of workers who are there for a cause - that's their real boss. You are not their master, and full-timers are certainly not your personal assistants. Employees expect their managers and board members to be humble, down-to earth and extremely sociable - acting as mediators to the cause. As most NGOs are people-to-people organisations, the ones running it need to be able lead by example, trustworthy and empathetic/understanding. If a worker isn't performing, the first response from the boss shouldn't be just asking "why haven't you finished your work?", but inquire if they are having personal problems. As managers, productivity is a main concern - this role is still unchanged. But productivity is only attained when your employees are in the right frame of mind and optimal levels of motivation to produce the work required. Although there are times to remind your employees that you're in-charge, do it as subtle as possible. Be a friend, a capable one they are willing to trust and follow (or a parent figure, if bosses are older and if it seems weird to be friends).

Understand Your Employees' Needs

This is where all employers in NGOs fail spectacularly. Most NGOs, if asked, will not know why their
employees left in the first place. When examined, it could have been for factors within the organisations control. Drawing from the issues highlighted above, matters like financial security, need for job development, interpersonal organisational conflicts, work-life balance, satisfaction, etc., can be mediated. Employers in NGOs need to humble down and dare to ask these questions - "Are we paying you enough?", "Are you feeling happy at work?", "How can we improve things for you in the office?". Simple questions which are seldom or never asked but matter tremendously to employees. Prioritise developing employee trust, loyalty (to organisation), respect, understanding and strong rapport between employer-employee. For NGOs, this means board members must take an effort to know their workers. It's damning if a board member still doesn't know the name of the employee who has worked hard for years (true story). Create employee satisfaction and keep them happy. Prevent them from resigning - don't give them a reason to! Also value their opinions and suggestions - fact is employees probably do know what they are talking about since it's their area of expertise and it's their jobs to know. 

Stop Screwing Around

Employers themselves are often the source of the problem. This occurs often in NGOs as board members are often volunteers, with a  full-time job elsewhere, resulting in the lack of time and the crucial need to focus on the organisations needs. As a result, the full-time workers are always covering for their mistakes. It eventually reaches a point when full-time workers will wonder "why in the world did these people decide to be our leaders in the first place when they are doing such a crappy job?". In essence, the leader isn't leading. Naturally, followers will be demotivated. Even as a volunteer, a job is still a job. If you aren't able to do it well, don't do it at all. It is also a sad fact that some people in leadership positions are not only doing an incompetent job, but seem to be there for selfish reasons. NGOs do constantly attract such weirdos, perhaps because these people aren't able to be successful anywhere else, but in the NGO, they are "somebody" big. If you are a member in this NGO, try to ensure such characters do not make it to the top.. be involved in elections and keep things accountable. Otherwise, if such people do end up as leaders, it will have adverse effects on the full-time peeps. If you are the weirdo, do seriously consider resigning - you aren't doing anyone any favours. Don't assume "you are holding the fort", as in reality, you are the source of damage. 

Tips for Full-Time Workers to be Motivated on the Job

Constantly Keep Yourself Engaged

No, I don't mean propose to your GF or BF and delay marriage as long as possible. Keep doing things that keep you "alive", challenging task, completing task (you will feel satisfaction from finishing them), talking and helping people, look up ways to improve the organisation, etc. Hence, do a variety of things, don't just "draw a line" based on your job description. For instance,  filling up forms 40 hours a week will probably kill your passion. Don't have much to do? Ask for it. In NGOs work is aplenty. Be careful not to only do things that you are interested in.. it is after all a job. However, you can communicate with your manager what your job and skill-fits are, requesting for task which suit your abilities. It will be more satisfying if you can test and exercise your expertise.

Don't Allow Obstacles to Put You Down
The biggest obstacles are your own reactions towards things around you - people, task intensity, issues at home.. these are valid circumstances. The people factor would be the one to look out for the most. The best way to overcome it is to focus on the good and positive things that happen around you, not just the bad ones. Also, your volunteer-bossies who think they know it all, when they really don't - accept them for who they are. They are volunteers who are giving their time too. Yes, it is pretty retarded that they think they know more than you when they are only in the office a tiny fraction amount of time you put in, but that's just the harsh reality of it. Work around the problem, don't see it as an obstacle, but overcome the situation. Also realise that it's not easier in any other jobs you would've done elsewhere. We often have the misconception that the public or private sectors has more resource, hence, easier to work - but that's a fallacy. Everything has it's own set of challenges and heartaches, no different from the level of stress you have to put through. Notice I listed "own reactions" earlier - that is because you are your biggest enemy. Be resilient and persevere! Problems are always there, but how you deal with them is what matters in the end.


Surround Yourself with Friends and Loved Ones
Always hang out with people who can give you support. Have an outlet to vent. Be in a situation that allows you to pile up all your positive emotions. This is why having good working relations in the office is important. If your close friends are all in the NGO you are working for, chances are, your stay there will be more fulfilling as well. If you are having a problem, these friends can be there to share the load and pray with you. Also remove yourself from comparing with others in the corporate world or who are living a more materially luxurious lifestyle. Comparing is the main source of dissatisfaction, something people in NGOs will constantly face. Instead, count your blessings and be satisfied with what you have - as really, it's not bad.


Sure hope this helps encourage some people to sign up working for NGOs, or in organisations like churches, those non-mainstream career paths like teachers, government servants, etc. They are all noble jobs worth considering. On that note, I would like to take the opportunity to advertise the need for a full-time worker in the Kuala Lumpur Boys' Brigade. This is my previous job. It's a good position and one to consider =)


Note: The above advice is relevant to paid full-time employees in NGOs, not to the volunteers.