In late 2022, AMCI began asking members to submit posts with reasons about why AMCs are a great place to work. With workforce shortages, staff transitions, and retirements continuing to loom over the industry, it is critical that AMCs are able to implement best practices, and showcase why prospective employees should bring their talents to their firms.
Maddy Madeley, Vice-President at Redstone Agency in Toronto, Canada shares what Redstone has done to retain and recruit new staff, and answer the question “Why is an AMC a great place to work?” Her response is below:
Since founding in 2015, Redstone has gone from three to 60 staff, impressed over 200 clients, and aimed to hire the most innovative professionals. We believe that an AMC is a great place to work, and we build up our people to be the best they can be – here are just a few reasons why.
Embodying our Values
Every decision we make comes down to our values: People, Trust, Impact, Extra Mile. “People” is listed as the first and most important value, as we truly believe that what we do matters most because of the people we surround ourselves with. We have two full-time recruiters in-house so the team can have access to new talent and new like-minded individuals when needed. In 2022, we launched the Redstone Foundation Awards, which are designed to recognize staff members who demonstrate these values via measurable metrics.
Embracing Change
One of the underlining philosophies at Redstone since its inception was to challenge the status quo and be open-minded. We listen to our clients and our staff before making any decisions. Senior leadership is always available to talk; we also hold an annual town hall and issue employee engagement surveys where we ask 100+ questions on anything and everything. And we act on the responses! We are constantly reviewing our policies and procedures – just because a policy exists, doesn’t mean it can’t be revisited or reconsidered. We are also a digital-first agency which allows us to work more efficiently and explore new opportunities. These philosophies have helped us navigate the pandemic, and more recently the evolving job market.
Working with Young Professionals
Association management is a viable career in Canada, and yet the concept is new to many of the staff that we welcome to Redstone, especially those early in their career. Our goal is for each person to gain as much experience in the world of not-for-profit management as they want, and are interested in pursuing, while working with Redstone. From understanding financial acumen, marketing and communication skills, event management, people management, volunteer management, governance, website, and technology – the list goes on, and most Redstone employees develop more skills in three months than some young professionals might develop in three years.
Opportunities for Growth
In 2021, we underwent a reimagining of our performance reviews and career development at Redstone. We commit to our team to provide radically candid feedback on a regular basis. We use a robust HR platform which allows us to learn more about the team we work with and track their career progression. Performance reviews take place twice/year and include a 360 assessment. We carve out a path of development for each person on the team, which sometimes includes making room for moving to another department or offering specialized PD opportunities.
Finally, we are always introducing new incentives, such as more flexible work hours, ‘staycations’, exciting holiday gifts (iPads, Ray-Bans, Apple watches, etc.), and a 5-year milestone trip anywhere in the world – just to name a few. We have two full-time staff dedicated to culture initiatives who are constantly thinking of new ideas. What worked last year might not work this year, or the next. We love the everchanging landscape of association management, and we can’t wait to see where we go next with our amazing team.
Click here to connect with one of our incredible colleagues at Redstone.
