It’s Time for Nonprofit CEOs to Lead Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

This is a guest blog by Michael Watson. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised when 150 corporate CEOs established CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion earlier in June. Despite unprecedented levels of pressure from shareholders and activists for higher stock returns, greater competition from unexpected sources and other pressures, they stepped forward to publicly support diversity and inclusion.   This group committed to working toward fostering an environment in their organizations where diversity and inclusion conversations can occur.  They also agreed to implement and expand unconscious bias education and share practices that worked as well as those that were unsuccessful.

Four (new) Millennial retention tactics for nonprofits

Millennials bring a new outlook and innovation to your nonprofit organization, but some also have different priorities than the Gen X and Baby Boomer employees who came before them. Combatting high Millennial turnover rates has long been a hot topic for both for-profits and nonprofits, but few organizations have truly cracked the code for retaining these employees. According to our 2016 Nonprofit Employment Practices Survey, one in three nonprofits report retaining staff under the age of 30 as their biggest staffing challenge. Clearly, Millennial turnover is a very serious issue for the social sector, especially considering turnover costs can be

Talent: The Missing Piece in Nonprofit Sustainability

In Nell Edington’s recent article “What is Nonprofit Sustainability?” she answers that important question this way: “Nonprofit sustainability occurs when a nonprofit attracts and effectively uses enough and the right kinds of money necessary to achieve their long-term outcome goals.” Being the passionate nonprofit talent advocate that I am, I’ve put my own “yes, and” spin on Nell’s well-crafted definition. To me, “Nonprofit sustainability occurs when a nonprofit attracts and effectively uses enough and the right kinds of money and people necessary to lead and achieve their long-term outcome goals.” Much like the varying perspectives on nonprofit sustainability that Nell

The Real Solution to Nonprofit Leadership Elitism

In the March issue cover story “Elites at Work,” The Chronicle of Philanthropy explored a growing concern among many in the social sector that nonprofit leadership is becoming too elite, and thereby too disconnected from the populations their organizations serve. This concern has only grown in recent months as the November election and ensuing political shakeup has shined a bright light on the disconnect between American elites and the working and middle classes. In the article, reporter Nicole Wallace shared the story of Paul Schmitz, who battled drug addiction in high school and was once homeless, but went on to

How to invest in nonprofit talent when your budget is tight

Talent plays a critical role in nonprofit performance, but according to our 2016 Nonprofit Employment Practices Survey, 84 percent of nonprofits don’t have a formal retention strategy in place, and nonprofit employee turnover has gradually increased over the past few years. These data point to an ineffective approach to talent across the sector, and often, budgets are to blame. Less than 1% of nonprofit funding has historically gone to supporting talent, and a mere .03% of the social sector’s annual spending has historically been allocated to leadership development. Those numbers are in danger of shrinking even further in the year

Fearless thinking in the nonprofit sector: The power of unconventional thought

A core message in “Fearless HR” is that if the HR profession coheres around an accepted purpose, it can become more aggressive, proactive and bold. A shared sense of purpose enables faster decision-making, less confusion and realistic expectations. The bottom line for HR is that it must be more about the bottom line. In this post, I’ll apply the same thinking I used in “HR Becomes More Fearless” in regards to for-profit businesses to the nonprofit sector. Simply stated: HR’s purpose is to drive organizational results. Everything else is either a means to this end or a distraction. This realization

Five Key Takeaways from the 2017 Nonprofit Talent Management Priorities Survey

Earlier this year, we surveyed nearly 300 nonprofit leaders and HR professionals about their most pressing talent priorities. There is a severe shortage of data available about nonprofit talent, and our newly released Nonprofit Talent Management Priorities survey is one of several new data initiatives we are developing to fill that gap. The resulting data both inform our approach to serving the nonprofit sector and help nonprofits like yours set accurate benchmarks and priorities relative to peer organizations. We shared the results in a public data portal several weeks ago, but here are five key takeaways worth exploring in more

9 women paving the way for all nonprofit leaders

In light of Women’s History Month, we’d like to recognize a few amazing nonprofit leaders that we admire. But before we do that, we need to put a few things on the table. As much as we’re delighted to pay tribute to these dynamic nonprofit leaders who are at the forefront of social causes, we remain deeply concerned about the gender inequity that continues to live in and across the nonprofit sector. Women – despite dominating the nonprofit workforce – still make up less than a third of social sector CEOs. And of those who are in the top-spot in

The new administration’s impact on educational organizations

Besty DeVos’s nomination to the position of secretary of education sparked unprecedented controversy and heated opposition. While supporters of President Trump’s nomination believe she will bring a fresh perspective to the Department of Education and promote needed change, many groups and individuals protested her views on school choice and lack of professional experience in education and policy. Her recent confirmation now leaves many education nonprofits across the country unsure of what lies ahead. During the confirmation process, DeVos only offered general statements about her goals and plans. Aside from her controversial support of school choice, as evidenced by her advocacy

Creative wellness efforts to impact your culture on a small budget

Now more than ever, the topic of health and wellness is becoming a popular discussion in our society. Adopting a holistic and healthier lifestyle not only has significance in one’s personal life, but in the workplace as well. As an HR professional, I often receive questions from applicants regarding a prospective employer’s health and wellness program. Based on those experiences, it’s clear that this benefit offering continues to increase in value. When thinking of the myriad of benefits currently in the market and of the various carriers who offer them, one may think that only larger companies with extra finances