More Troubling News in the Nonprofit Employment Crisis
Two big findings — one surprising, one not — come out of a "recent survey of 1,750 nonprofit jobseekers [that] finds people seeking positions in the sector believe that nonprofit employers are not doing enough to address the obstacles that they face."
The survey, by the Boston headhunter Commongood Careers, showed that many nonprofit wannabes have concerns about the sector’s salary levels. Ho-hum; dog bites man.
But it also turned up concern about work-life balance issues.
Huh?
Now that’s man bites dog. My impression has been that nonprofits excel at the balance issue. Realizing that they often cannot pay the salaries of the for-profit sector, the thinking goes, nonprofits can offer non-monetary compensation such as comp days and flex time. After all, that’s why a lot of people shift from corporate work to nonprofit life in the first place.
Perception, though, is reality, and if that’s what the research says, than the sector has to adjust. Even more troubling, "[o]ver 75 percent of respondents believe that nonprofits have to immediately change their recruitment, employment and professional development practices."
Have it at, HR directors. | 501(c)
Tags: Commongood Careers, nonprofit employment, work-life balance, nonprofit salaries
Sure NPOs might offer flex time but employees may not actually get a chance to take all they earned. I know from personal experience that this often the case.
Besides, considering the survey you mentioned was of jobseekers, perhaps a new college grad with 20K in student loan debt doesn’t think “flex time” will really make up for a lower than standard paycheck. It would be tough to have work-life balance if you had to get a second job to make up the difference.
Good point, Sandra. I think the answer lies somewhere in between an across-the-board salary increase — which ain’t gonna happen — and convincing jobseekers, especially young ones, that there’s more to compensation than salary, which is a tough sell.
Hi Tom, yes it takes some creative thinking on the part of the org. to offer additional non-monetary benefits. If the organization’s mission matches the requirements of AmeriCorps VISTA, they can hire someone under that program and the person gets an additional stipend, health and other benefits.
Perhaps there will eventually be other loan forgiveness/grant programs to incentivize graduates to enter the non profit sector, similar to the ones offered for school teachers.
As I’ve found out recently, Sandra, both Harvard Law and Harvard Med School have instituted some tuition easing for grads committed to doing public service. Perhaps there’s hope yet.