5 Benefits of Organizational Alignment

Over the years, I have seen so many nonprofits struggle to do a little bit of everything instead of focusing down on one or two things that they are really good at that also align with their mission.

This may look like having three program areas with three separate managers and no common goal between them. Each program operates on its own under the umbrella of the nonprofit status.

This is really confusing for your staff to know what they are working towards. It is also challenging to externally communicate to stakeholders in the community.

What is alignment in the workplace?

Alignment in the workplace is so important. It is when the entire organization understands the mission, vision and values of the organization. When everyone is aligned, they are more likely to give their best performance and confidently share about the organization.

Your internal communications strategy have a great impact on how your organization and staff operate as well as how you tell your story to the community.

5 Benefits of Organizational Alignment

So you might be wondering what are the benefits of organizational alignment?

Building organizational alignment and effective internal communication strategy will help create synergy across your organization including the board, donors and staff. Organizational alignment is the only way you can create a sense of commitment to the mission.

Improved Organizational Strategy

An aligned organization will know its clear direction and be able to execute decisions based on the overall organizational strategy. Organizational alignment also allows staff to focus on executing that strategy because they know what outcomes are expected of them and what they are working towards.

Increased Employee Engagement

It is really hard to engage your staff when you don’t have a good idea of what they are supposed to be doing. When employees understand how their individual work links to organizational strategy and the mission, they are more satisfied with their work and become more effective.

Decreased Donor Confusion and More Revenue

If you can’t tell a consistent story, how can you expect to bring in donors to be a part of it? I have struggled to tell donors what the heck we are doing and they get so lost. Your story should be simple and tangible so the donor knows how they can make a difference. You will also be able to consistently deliver what you say you will. Decreased donor confusion will equal more revenue.

Less Wasted Resources

In an aligned organization, you will know what resources exist. You won’t spend time wasting those resources on things that don’t align with your overall strategy. Among many things, this helps organizations operate out of an abundance mindset by doing more with less.

Better Department Collaboration

Oftentimes in organizations, each department works in a silo. This creates gaps in your client, volunteer, board, and donor experience. It also takes away transparency and accountability across the organization. An aligned organization knows how to work together to achieve the mission. Each department relies on the other because they share a common goal and vision. Teamwork makes the dream work!

You can’t ignore organizational alignment. The overall result of an organization is better credibility in the community, improved staff productivity, and increased revenue through donor engagement.

What have you seen as a benefit to organizational alignment?