February 3, 2014
As nonprofits look to improve their staffing levels in the coming year, it's important to stay abreast of new trends that help attract and retain new talent. Nonprofits struggle with attracting the best candidates because they often cannot match the price of competing offers.
Some trends could be positive for nonprofits
According to a forecast by leadership and development firm, Fierce, some notable changes to HR in the coming year will include a preference by employees for flexibility, a reduction in company titles and less annual performance reviews. Many of these changes are aimed at creating a work environment more appealing to the millennial workforce.
A key perk for many is the ability to work remotely
Flexibility is considered the most sought after perk, according to the forecast, and it has a number of different elements. Millennial workers are interested in the opportunity to work from home as well as the ability to alter their schedules. Many companies have been allowing employees to do this for a few years as it can improve the mood of employees and reduces costs. The technology required for employees to work remotely is not expensive in many industries, so there is little incentive not to allow it.
Schedules are not always as easy to negotiate, but depending on the business model and how independently the employee does their job, the option is sometimes available. If nonprofits can a find way to offer prospective candidates some of these perks, they can increase their chances of finding the best staff. With the increased amount of fundraising and communication that takes place over the Internet, remote employees could be a very real solution for many organizations.
Using team-building to tackle larger problems
While again very specific to the organization, some companies are finding it advantageous to reduce the number of titles that their organization has and instead rely on a group effort to make important decisions. For nonprofits that may find themselves with consistent vacancies in executive positions, organizing staff in a way that distributes authority more evenly can help the organization run effectively during periods of turnover. "Holacracy," as it's called, can also make employees feel like they play a larger and more important role in the company, which can lead to increased retention.
Content presented by First Nonprofit Companies, the leading provider of state unemployment insurance solutions for 501(c)(3) nonprofit employers.
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