Even non-profit organizations require the expertise of particular talents to advance their missions. The problem is, many challenges stop them from attracting the top talents in the industry and stay long enough for the organization to grow. Without the right manpower, any organization can crumble, even the most popular non-profits.
Talent Acquisition and Retention: Challenges Non-Profits Face
Skills Shortage
There are three common reasons for today’s skills gap. First, some people lack formal education to equip themselves with the proper knowledge. Since today’s tech makes it easy to get your hands on valuable information and find lucrative opportunities, more people are skipping college.
Second, not all of today’s workforce have enough soft skills. Soft skills can impact one’s ability to make great relationships with others, like colleagues, customers, and clients. These are also crucial since one’s soft skills can determine their ability to manage their time wisely, stay productive even under pressure, and lead.
Third, despite their reliance on technology, some people don’t have enough tech skills to make it to the cut. Since organizations these days, non-profits included, utilize tech to boost organization success. Without basic tech and date skills, it will be hard to keep up with the changing technical landscape.
Reaching the Right Talent
How non-profits reach their donors and sponsors can be different on how they can hire the right talents. You need more than simply knowing where to find a talent pool that can fill empty positions. It is also crucial that non-profits reach viable talents that want to work for them.
You may be able to find professionals looking for jobs similar to positions available in your organization. But if you can’t find some who also have the same values and beliefs, your search can quickly turn sour. Your attempts will remain futile, and you will keep on investing hard-earned cash in recruiting and training people who will leave the organization fast.
Promoting Work-life Balance
Today’s workforce wants to enjoy a nice blend of career, passion, healthy living, and personal life. But not all organizations, non-profits included, allow their staff to enjoy a work-life balance. This often leads to a higher employee turnover rate and a costlier recruitment process.
Millennials and Gen Z dominate the workplace and replace Gen X and Baby Boomers. Since the modern workforce demands the ability to enjoy work flexibility and well-being, organizations can’t do anything but try to keep up with their demands. The problem is that not all non-profits worry about their employees’ work-life balance.
Managing These Three Challenges
The good news is there are ways non-profits can do to improve talent acquisition and retention. This goes beyond finding the right people to work with and retaining whoever talent is still within the organization.
Offer Amazing Perks
Just because your organization is a non-profit, you should already skip offering amazing perks to your employees. Perks are often one of the reasons top talents would consider and reject a job offer. If you want to retain and attract the top talents in the industry, come with a suitable additional perks plan.
You can start by asking your existing employees what benefits can change their lives for the better. Aside from group medical and dental benefits, more leave days, and flexible working hours, why not throw in the opportunity where they can start planning better for their retirement and investments? This way, you are helping them address future needs.
Encourage Work-life Balance
There is no need to wait for your employees to complain about their lack of time and resources to enjoy a work-life balance. It won’t hurt to ask so that you will know exactly what they need. Educate them about the ill effects of employee burnout and teach them the importance of work-life blend.
Encourage them to take breaks as needed. Entice them to work smarter and normalize hearing about their opinions. The more open your employees are, the easier it will be for you to find solutions to promote a healthy work-life balance in your organization.
Utilize Your Employee’s Network
Tapping on your employee’s network can be a great way to fill open positions efficiently. You get to save money on marketing, reduce the recruitment process in half, and even build a stronger relationship with your existing employees. Embracing employee referrals also ensures your next hire knows and understands your company culture.
Make sure to devise an employee referral program that will entice your staff to recommend the right talent. They may share your job openings with their network or even find the right fit, so you won’t have to wait for long. This will help boost employee retention rate while increasing your chances of finding the right talents.
How you devise your talent acquisition and retention can significantly impact your non-profit’s success. Be sure to do enough research and improve your relationships with your employees if you want them to stay. As for talent acquisition, tap on your employee’s network for faster and more efficient hiring.
