If you lead a nonprofit organization, it probably wouldn’t surprise you to learn that the turnover rate for employees at nonprofits is higher than that of for-profit organizations. Nonprofts see a turnover rate of 19%, while for-profits across all industries have a 12% turnover rate on average, according to ExactHire.com. This can cause serious challenges for nonprofits.
Some of the reasons for this disparity in retention rates include lower pay, longer hours, fewer resources, few options for upward mobility, and being forced to work with outdated technology. And while nonprofit workers may have a passion for the mission of the organization, passion doesn’t pay the bills or make up for a frustrating work environment.
If paying your employees more isn’t an option, here are some other ideas that can help you retain employees:
Outsource Tasks That Your Employees Aren’t Equipped For
There’s almost nothing more frustrating than being asked to complete a task and then not being provided with the resources or support to complete it effectively. Take marketing, for example. Today’s marketing is almost completely digital. It can involve digital advertising on sites like Google, social media marketing, email marketing, search engine optimization, and more. Working in these highly technical environments without the proper knowledge or training can be extremely difficult—not to mention fruitless. It won’t take long for an employee to reach burnout.
A better option might be to outsource marketing to a nonprofit marketing agency in Tampa. Working with an agency is often much more affordable than hiring a full-time employee, and you will typically see much better results, since an agency will likely have multiple specialists in different areas of digital marketing.
Unless you have someone in-house who is extremely skilled in digital marketing, outsourcing this area of operations is the way to go. For the sake of your employees, at least look into this option.
Offer Non-Monetary Benefits
If your organization isn’t able to compete with for-profit salaries, look for other ways to entice employees to stay long-term. Many employees will trade a higher salary for a work-from-home or hybrid position, or flexible working hours. Extra time off, like for birthdays or non-federal holidays, or just a few extra vacation days per year can also make a huge difference to your employees.
Your employees may also appreciate public recognition of their efforts and accomplishments, which you can do for free on your social media profiles, on your website, or in an email to your supporters. Everyone loves to be appreciated!
Promote from Within Whenever Possible
As much as possible, work with your team to grow their skills and confidence so they can be considered for promotions when positions become available. It can be extremely demoralizing to work for an organization for many years, only to have that organization hire a recruiting company when a leadership position opens up.
Doing things like offering mentorships, providing training opportunities, and allowing employees to be involved in organizational decision-making and goal-setting can help prepare them for future leadership roles.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you can help your nonprofit organization defy the statistics and improve employee retention rates, giving your nonprofit more stability.
