NPO Staffing Solutions for 2022 – Thinking Outside the Box [Video]

Nonprofits face a number of challenges on a regular basis, but one that’s become more significant for 2022 is hiring. Fortunately, there are several options to successfully staff your organization by thinking outside the box and leveraging your nonprofit advantages. Watch today’s Monday Money Moments video for more (and skim the transcript below).

Dana Miller (00:01):

Hello, welcome to Monday Money Moments with myself, your host, Dana Miller from Executive Financial Insights. We are piggybacking on our risk minimization from previous Monday Money Moments.

We are going to focus today on staffing solutions, and really it’s one of the top three nonprofit challenges that you’re going to be facing this year.

(00:27): So how do we minimize that? First, I think one of the things that you’re struggling the most with is hiring qualified staff within the budget constraints that you have, or keeping the ones that you currently have while maintaining competitive salaries. And then finding staff that actually meets the qualifications that you need; not even hiring them, just finding them. So what do we do with all this? Well, my recommendation is, start thinking outside the box. Consider, what does your organization offer to people that are out in the marketplace?

(01:09): Well, certainly you’re saving the world, right? You’re helping people or animals or the environment in some way, shape, or form. So that alone, I know that millennials and gen Z, that is something very important to them. So you already have a leg up in that you’re already doing that. And for someone to get paid, to be able to do that is a bonus.

(01:33): You might consider other advantages that you have. Oftentimes, nonprofits have higher benefits. You could also consider, and this one’s a biggie and so might blow your mind, a four day work week. Eight hours a day. Don’t make it four, ten-hour days, make it four, eight-hour days with a full week salary. A lot of for-profits are now taking that tack, and they are finding that their production and productivity is higher than it was on the five day work week. And that’s a human nature kind of thing. We have a tendency to expand to fill the space provided. And so, if we shorten that space provided and we still have the same outcomes and outputs, we can still meet those obligations. And that’s a big bonus in the marketplace.

(02:35): You know what? Consider hiring your volunteers. You’ve got some passionate volunteers working with you. Would any of them be looking for full-time or part-time work that might be an opportunity for you? They know the organization, they know the processes, and they’re already invested in who you are.

(02:52): You could also consider investing in technology, especially in the accounting world. Tt is going to upend how much you need onsite staff to be key punching. And I’ll be honest, that’s one of my pet peeves. If I have staff that’s key punching it makes me crazy because I know there’s technology that can minimize that key punching and that staff can be out serving the public, which is what we’re here to do.

(03:21): You could also consider pursuing new revenue streams. Do you have enough diversity in your revenue to be able to expand and increase your revenue so you can increase your pay for your existing staff or your oncoming staff?

(03:38): Another consideration you might have is examining your books. Are you utilizing all the dollars you have in the right places? And are you delivering all the programs that you should be? Or can you consider partnering with another nonprofit that does something that you are doing, but they do it a little bit better, and they’re already funded. So you can move that portion of your business over, and again alleviate the strain and stress on your organization and your existing staff.

(04:13): You might, and this is what I would consider last option, is consider cutting expenses to be able to afford the new staff that you’re wanting to hire. I am of an abundance mentality. And I think there’s plenty out here in the world for us to be able to maintain the services and the staff that we want. We just need to be creative about it. At the end of the day, if you cannot use any of these techniques, you may consider cutting some expenses. Like I said, only as a last resort. 

(4:52): If you want some help with reviewing programs, making decisions, understanding what it is you’re looking at, and how to make choices here, I’m available. Give me a call. I thank you. And I look forward to hearing from you at www.executivefinancialinsights.com. Thank you.