Labor & Personnel

“Co-ops are practical, not perfect” and as an entity, they can often get caught up with an expectation to be a utopian alternative to capitalist structures. Through a discussion of learned experiences, this session aims at providing an honest lens into managing collective work and lateral power, creating systems that empower cooperative workers in ways that make every individual feel heard, while keeping the expectations of what it means to be in a cooperative realistic, restorative, and hopeful.

An example of a Roles and Chores guide from a small co-op of 6 members without staff. This co-op reported smooth functioning of their labor system and positive culture of accountability for completing tasks. 

Preparation for turnover is an ongoing process and co-ops should keep all tools up to date before turnover takes place. This slide deck will walkthrough action items, best practices, and exit interview resources for board member and staff member turnover. This checklist is designed for annual prepareration for turnover.

Below, are the recordings for NASCO Institue 2020 sessions by room. Please share lessons learned with your cooperatives and communities. 

If you did not register for NASCO Institute and you'd like to support free and low-cost cooperative education, please consider contributing a donation amount that feels appropriate for you and/or your cooperative. Your donation makes it possible to offer cooperative education materials and resources free of charge. DONATE HERE.

Template: Millions of Americans have tested positive for the coronavirus, so odds are that one of more of your employees will test positive in the coming months. But there is a smart (and legal) way to communicate this news to your employees.

Co-ops have a responsibility to maintain safe, warm, and attractive living spaces for their members. This PDF will help your co-op identify issues that already exist and suggest some basic ways to deal with them.

This House Maintenance Coordinator Handbook was created by Madison Community Cooperative (MCC) to serve as a reference guide. It includes a detailed role description, things to be aware of, responsibilities checklists, house tool library, delegation guidelines, Work Day guidelines, Madison fire code info, and recommendations for hiring contractors. MCC has shared this handbook with NASCO so that other co-ops may adapt it for their own use. 

Presentation from a workshop at NASCO Institute 2017.

"What's the Password Again? Distributed Software and Cooperatives" by Alli Nilles