Domus Cultural Fit
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WORK STYLE
Domus is an organization rooted in the idea of teamwork, collaboration, and cooperation.
Across all Domus programs, the idea of shared governance and democracy is present. We
believe the more opinions considered in a decision, the better. This is why we strive to adhere to
a democratic, round-table, discussion-based style of work where everyone can have a voice.
We know the people at the top are not always the ones who see the day-in and day-out
operations of a program, and thus the leadership values the ability to meet face-to-face with
program staff and supervisors to make the best decisions that will ultimately affect all people
within a program. Domus embraces the idea of staff meetings, organization-wide meetings,
committee meetings, department head meetings, and so on. These meetings are prudently
planned with a specific end-goal in mind. The leaders who plan these meetings do so with an
issue to solve, extending an opportunity for all players to get involved with the process of
reaching a satisfactory result.
As with the nature of a large organization, this face-to-face discussion time is not always
possible. We rely heavily on email communication and phone calls. While it would be nice for
every major policy-shifting decision to be preceded with a meeting involving all players, this
would be a major impediment to things actually getting done. The work of a nonprofit is endless,
and some decisions must be implemented quickly and efficiently, with the best judgment coming
from the top down. These decisions have been carefully considered, and all necessary
information gathered, prior to resolution.
Communication is constant throughout Domus, and emails play a large part in getting things
done. Face-to-face conversations and discussions are an integral part of keeping the lines of
communication open, but with the busy nature of all employees, email remains an important
component of this communication. With a large, scattered organization like Domus, email will
continue to be a cornerstone of our interactions and communication style. There is an
expectation that emails are answered promptly whenever possible.
Meetings at Domus exemplify this idea of open communication. We strive to involve various
players across programs in the goal of moving the entire organization forward. Meetings are
also a great way to gather scattered program leaders and staff to build a sense of community
and inclusion. It is helpful if employees make their best effort to fit important meetings in to their
ever-busy schedules, as needed. Meetings are not called arbitrarily and are often essential for
moving certain initiatives forward.
Because all programs are not located at our base site at Lockwood Avenue, it is important to
bring these programs together so employees can see the big picture of the organization and its
various parts. While stressing the important agendas of such meetings, we make great efforts to
start and end all meetings on time. We recognize time is precious and would like to respect
everyone's schedule and honor the time each person has carved out.
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
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ADVANCEMENT
The type of person most likely to excel at Domus is one who adheres to the idea of teamwork
and collaboration. Domus is a welcoming and friendly place that encourages staff to become
familiar and comfortable working with one another, with the end goal of effective teamwork and
more collaboration.
In addition to the idea of teamwork and collaboration, Domus values those employees who step
up and take initiative. An often-heard saying around Domus is that “there is never nothing to
do.” Whatever your position, the goal is that when a problem or issue arises, we expect
someone to step up. Any employee should feel comfortable stepping outside their designated
role and assisting where needed. This furthers the idea that Domus is a team, and all players
should be ready and willing to pitch in to further the broader goals of the entire organization.
The structure of Domus is a hierarchy rooted in available, approachable leaders who are more
team players than remote managers. The leaders at the top foster the development of
employees under their supervision and continually look for ways to integrate more voices into
decisions, policies, and changes within their program or department. This is not to say we don’t
appoint strong, confident leaders to steer our programs in the right direction. As with any
organization, the people at the top have a responsibility to their program, employees, and the
rest of the Domus community to lead. The most effective way to do this at Domus is to place
trust in employees and distribute responsibilities and tasks so the team is working in the most
efficient and effective way possible.
Domus takes the time to recognize achievements and the hard work of employees. We reward
and celebrate the team’s accomplishments and achievements in true Domus style: with
takeaways, food, and fun! Holiday parties and organization-wide retreats are always celebratory
events. One thing Domus knows how to do well is to throw a party and have fun. This is an
important part of motivating employees and reminds them they are important, appreciated, and
part of the team. These opportunities further serve to inspire employees and peers across
programs and to share ideas. They create a sense of familiarity and a chance to relax when not
on the demanding frontlines of being in one’s program or department.
The employees who work hard, put in extra effort, and live up to the expectations of their
position are duly rewarded. Domus would like to retain our most enthusiastic and competent
employees, so they are recognized and encouraged. Those who are open to direct feedback
and accept this guidance without being defensive will be noticed for their hard work and
dedication. Those employees who are not living up to the Domus expectations are identified
early and given opportunities to improve under a director’s coaching and guidance. Weekly or
biweekly supervision meetings help to keep a supervisor and employee connected and working
towards mutual goals. Domus is continually fostering employees to grow, change, and improve
from wherever they start. If someone is unwilling to grow, there will not be a place for them to
remain stagnant for very long.

WORK HOURS AND COMMITMENT TO WORK
At Domus, there is always more work to be done, no matter how much time an employee is
putting in. It is the nature of the work we do and the people we serve; it never ends. For this
reason, it is important we employ enthusiastic, hard-working individuals to do this strenuous
work, which is often emotionally draining and sometimes physically demanding. However, as a
trauma-informed organization, we know employees must be reminded to take care of
themselves and not just the families and youth we serve. The implementation of Sanctuary
places great stress on the idea of self-care. A self-care plan created by each employee is
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discussed with their supervisor and is an important tool for employees to remain healthy and
able to give 100% while on the job.
The Domus workday is always hectic, especially because some programs work around the
clock. Between a typical school day, after-school programs, and residential homes, Domus is
staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This means there are demands and requirements at all
hours of the day, and staff will be supporting this model. An employee’s schedule is specific to
his/her program, position, and responsibilities of a program or department. There is an
expectation that Domus employees sometimes need to travel to the different programs. While
most Domus programs are based in Stamford, we have begun branching into new cities like
New Haven and Bridgeport, which means directors and leaders may be required to visit these
sites for any number of reasons.
Domus has invested time and energy to train existing employees in the tenants of Sanctuary
and the Domus way of doing things. It is no easy task to get a large organization on the same
page, so we strive to retain these trained employees. Many senior leaders within Domus have a
long length of service. With 5, 10, 15, or more years of service, these leaders are
knowledgeable in their own program/sector/department as well as the other parts of Domus
that. These leaders are in the best position to recruit and encourage new employees to
acclimate to the organization and all its idiosyncrasies. As the saying goes, "good people follow
good people," and we find our existing employees are often a great resource to recruit new
people. Our employees know the passion and commitment required to excel at Domus, and that
is why they can often identify potential candidates who embody these values and would be
ready for the demanding work we do.
We appreciate the recruitment efforts of our employees; as a result of those efforts, our
organization is an extremely interconnected entity. There are many formal and informal
relationships between leaders and staff at all levels, and it is our obligation to be open and
upfront about this. New employees should realize these relationships strengthen our teams but
also may present a challenge to someone who does not realize the extent of the
connectedness. These relationships can precede the work here or develop through our intense
and intimate work together. New employees should be aware that you never know who a new
colleague is associated with, and it is best to err on the side of caution before having informal
conversations about other staff. We value open and honest communication in light of these
relationships, and this is a caution to keep conversations professional and positive. However,
the presence of such relationships should not prevent someone from discussing a professional
issue with their supervisor, who may be involved in such a relationship. We recognize this may
be an uncomfortable position for someone to be in, but remember the job and work comes
before any relationship outside of the workplace: Honest, open communication is always the
best route.

ARCHITECTURE, AESTHETICS, AND ATMOSPHERE
If you take a look at the administrative offices at Lockwood, it is easy to see we operate in an
open-door, collaborative, friendly environment. The dress code is professional and reflects the
image we want to project to the youth we work with. Within the organization, we have young
employees, and because we work with older youth, it is important we present an image of
professionalism that sets these employees apart from youth.
The leadership team at Domus is best described as laid-back but passionate, low-key but
determined, and open but strong-minded. Domus employs highly motivated people who never
give up on kids but have fun when needed.
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