As we have seen in Extension, finding and keeping talented people is the biggest challenge in today's marketplace. Several factors influence potential employees or team members in their decisions to belong.

First, a solid salary and benefit package are a must. Second, people want to work where they can make a difference. This may be seen in the type of work people do; learning potential; and relationship building opportunities.

The third element is to create opportunities to play and have fun. Not only is the work enviornment more enjoyable but play also builds teamwork and productivity.

Fourth, people like to belong to an organization where they can be proud. The fifth element is to promote balance of work and family life over the career.

The University of Minnesota Extension Service has these elements in place but hasn't "sold" them to potential and present employees. Let's look over the elements again to see how we can assert employee needs.

Salary may not be as strong as we'd like but we have an attractive benefit package, if you take advantage of it. Without experience, it is overwhelming to understand the different options and opportunities. However, seeking out a candid trusted mentor is helpful. In a recent conversation with a new employee I was surprised by her lack of knowledge about the benefits. She was not able to secure her financial future or see staying with the organization as a financial benefit to her since she just focused on the salary. This adds to the present turnover problems we have. A recommendation would be to offer one-on-one training time with new employees to complete their employee package when they arrive rather than assume they have knowledge of insurance program, thrift savings, retirement plans, etc.

Working in a position to imporve the lives of families by applying the resources of the University of Minnesota is meaningful work. The challenge is keeping focus on that amidst the committee meetings and everyday paperwork. Having a mission statement is good but people truly need to reflect on what it means to have viable communities and how our work can contribute to that. In a conversation with cluster mates we realized it had been over a year since we had that discussion. Team members felt it was vital to constantly keep that conversation in front of us so we could place our work in the context of our mission.

The networking and socializing that goes on at Annual Conference has been a great opportunity for fun and playfulness as an organizational team. In our clusters, county offices, and community teams we need to build comraderie and fun into these work teams as well. In a cluster meeting with Chuck Loffy, he greatly encouraged taking time to work on the relationship side of our work teams just as we work on the task function of our teams.

Finally, people want to feel pride in the organization they work. How do people feel in Extension? I have talked with staff who are so worried about position cuts that they do not feel pride. Community members pick up on this and what does that mean for their pride in the Extension programs they work? Pride can be restored by a vision (not just a vision statement) and a leader to sell it to us again.

In talking with collegues from other organizations, they have two or more elements in place but feel limited in their career choices due to the rural isolation. For them, the meaningfulness of their work keeps them going as they are truly intrinsically motivated.

-- Anonymous, December 15, 1998