The nonprofit sector is inarguably largely comprised of workers who are personally committed to what they are doing and to the organizations they serve. Typically, that personal commitment runs deep. Really deep. It is also no secret that there is a consistent problem with recruiting and retaining these people within the nonprofit sector including due to a high work volume, low pay ratio.

Of course, nonprofits do not tend to have the capital to compete with for-profits in recruiting and retaining employees, but there is still much that can be gleaned from the strategies used in the corporate world. In her column, “Investing in Non-Profit Talent – It’s Not Overhead, It’s Essential,” Carol Thompson Cole points to a number of corporate strategies from which non-profit leaders can extrapolate to refine and/or develop new strategies in these areas.

For starters, Cole writes that some level of dedicated human resource expertise is a must. While nonprofits do not have the resources of a for-profit to fully outfit an HR department, it is essential to go beyond tagging such responsibilities on to current staff who are not usually educated in these areas. The expectation – or need – to do so requires employees to put aside their normal responsibilities and assume the roles of human resource representatives just long enough to fill a vacancy, a practice which can certainly result in a disservice to all endeavors. There are methods, strategies and planning that go into recruitment and retention; Cole suggests building an infrastructure as a top priority area for philanthropic funding.

In addition to committed human resources efforts, training and continued opportunities to learn should be available within the organization. While nonprofits likely can’t keep up with the professional growth opportunities in a corporate setting, they can pattern after a mentor program. In addition to professional training, Deborah Dale Brackney’s points out in her article, “Why employees leave: Retention strategies for nonprofits,” there is another important area for learning to take place: learning about the organization itself. She notes that all employees want to know what is going on in the whole an organization, therefore, consistent communication with the staff is important. Doing so educates employees on the many facets of the organization which gives insight and direction as to what it takes to eventually be in charge while it also fosters their personal and professional investment.

Cole goes on to put light on the fact that salary is a recruitment and retention factor even though it tends to be counter to why people often gravitate to working for a nonprofit. From those about to retire after devoting their careers to the nonprofit sector to those entering the workforce saddled with substantial student loans, it’s difficult to attract and keep talent when up against corporate incentive practices. But, while the difficulty is real, Joe Brown points out in his article, “Paying Attention To Turnover In the Nonprofit Sector,” that it is important to be cognizant of “what factors are important to your employees and how they feel about them” so as to address and manage them before they become reasons for departure.

So, what do you do when your budget is strapped? Brackney’s writes, “Employees report higher retention rates at organizations where employers help them balance their work and personal lives.” Therefore, looking at different kinds of work schedules or other ways to be flexible with an employee would benefit an organization especially when funding issues are particularly tight.

Finally, Cole points to the demographic make-up of an organization, particularly among the leadership, as a component of recruitment and retention. She writes, “The challenge isn’t that there aren’t enough leaders of color—rather, it is connecting this leadership talent with the nonprofits who need it.” She suggests looking to the corporate world to model some of their recruitment methods including deliberately reaching out, traveling and networking to attract a leadership team that better represents those whom they serve. She suggests both networking efforts and funding be directed to this endeavor.

For the differences that exist between corporate America and the nonprofit sector, the methods for building a successful organization can be quite similar. People are people regardless of where they work, and, by and large, they have similar concerns and needs in terms of feeling valued, wanting to grow and, of course, being able to financially support themselves. The actual money figures and programs for professional development are sure to be smaller for the nonprofit, but there is much that can be learned and emulated from what exists in the corporate space.

Brackney, Deborah Dale. “Why employees leave: Retention strategies for nonprofits.” CausePlanet. Cause Planet, LLC. 2016. Web. (20 Jan. 2016)

Brown, Joe. “Paying Attention to Turnover in the Nonprofit Sector.” ExecSearches.com. ExecSearches.com. 1999. Web. (20 Jan. 2016)

Cole, Carol Thompson. “Investing in Nonprofit Talent—It’s Not Overhead, It’s Essential.” Venture Philanthropy Partners: Investing in Social Change. Venture Philanthropy Partners. 2015. Web. (17 Jan. 2016)

Nancy Stoker is a Senior Client Services Representative and Research Associate with ExecSearches.com. ExecSearches provides various recruitment and executive search services for nonprofits including its nonprofit job board.

Last updated on January 29th, 2016 at 01:38 pm