26 Jan 3 Ways to Retain and Unleash Talent as a Nonprofit HR Leader

For nonprofit leaders, human resources are one of the essential elements of success. Access to the best talent and the ability to retain that talent can often make or break an organization’s mission. Therefore, understanding how to unlock and keep candidates is crucial to ensure that your nonprofit has the resources needed to succeed. Here are three key strategies nonprofit leaders can begin utilizing today:

Build a community

Creating a cohesive community in the workplace is essential for nonprofit leaders looking to have a reliable, efficient, and loyal staff. HR departments can build a sense of community within the organization through team-building activities, employee wellness programs, and other initiatives that encourage camaraderie between workers. According to the American Institute of Stress, nearly 80% of workers feel stress on the job. An HR department can help alleviate this burden by providing resources to create a supportive and inclusive workplace.

The importance of mentorship

Mentorship is an invaluable tool for nonprofit HR leaders. An effective mentorship program has been proven to boost productivity, increase employee engagement, and improve job satisfaction. Mentoring provides a relationship filled with knowledge, skills and experience that are shared to build trust, encourage learning, and create growth. Mentorship is integral in creating a culture of learning and innovation within nonprofit organizations. By investing time and resources into a mentorship program, nonprofit HR leaders can help grow the talent of their employees and create long-lasting value.

Fostering a culture of innovation

As a nonprofit leader, creating an environment of creativity and risk-taking can be a great tool. This is important for engaging your current job talent and attracting new hires. In addition, employees will want to work with a nonprofit where their ideas are heard, and their innovation is celebrated. One way to encourage a culture of innovation within your organization is by offering incentives to employees who come up with creative solutions to problems or provide innovative ideas. This can be done through recognition programs or designating certain team members as idea champions tasked with coming up with solutions.

As an HR leader in the nonprofit world, there are many ways to get ahead of hiring and maintaining staff. We’d love to hear what your organization does.