Nonprofits are one of the most growing industries in the US today. Many believe that this has to do with the rise of millennials joining the workforce and having the need to work for a “bigger cause” and “make a difference”. Regardless of the reason, there are many things that should be celebrated about this new interest in the non-profit sector, such as more attention to important missions and an increase in the talent pool available to support such missions.
Though there is cause for celebration, now is the time that nonprofits need to begin creating a long term plan that will allow them to sustain such growth for years to come. When strategizing for the future, developing employees should reside at the top of every nonprofit’s list as they are one of the organization’s most valuable resources. Many nonprofits rely on their human resources departments to build a strong workforce, but HR professionals continue to have a set of struggles that prevent them from creating a team full of loyal talent that will help the organization accomplish the mission.
While the challenges HR continues to face will not be resolved overnight, many of these challenges can be tackled through the proper use of next generation talent management software.
Recruitment & Retention– Despite the positive growth during the past 17 years, the majority of nonprofit organizations still lack an effective strategy to not only recruit, but also retain top talent. Without a plan in place, scaling the organization is impossible. For every employee that leaves and is not replaced quickly with someone with the same skills or capabilities, an organizational competency is potentially lost, resulting in a step in the wrong direction from accomplishing the mission. Nonprofits should strive to create a talent management strategy that covers the entire cycle of an employee from recruiting to succession. A great HR software offers tools that help nonprofits create strong culture, ensure employee engagement and offer non-monetary benefits for working at your organization. With a proper HR solution, nonprofits can:
- Compete for top talent more efficiently and intelligently
- Create reward & recognition programs that align with business goals and initiatives
- Streamline the recruitment process by identifying weaknesses within organization and automating document handling
Compliance with state and federal laws- While nonprofits have to comply with the same laws as regular corporations, the lack of financial resources make this task more difficult for nonprofits to manage. Laws such as the Affordable Care Act and the Fair Labor standards are two of the most common laws that nonprofits need to familiarize themselves with and abide by. Any legal violations pertaining to federal or local laws can lead to hefty fines, lawsuits and investigations into your nonprofit. A great HR software can help to track, report and assess all compliance requirements and the employee current status in each. A few benefits that come with managing compliance through an HR solution include:
- having a centralized view of organization’s compliance with laws, regulations, and organizational policies
- helping to ensure all necessary forms are filled out, organized and saved for the appropriate length of time
- notifying users of possible discrepancies through alerts and warnings customized to fit your organization
Unified Organizational Mission A nonprofit is nothing without its mission. Most nonprofits aren’t able to pay their staff what a for-profit would; many of their employees are staying with the organization because of the mission and the message the organization is sending. In order for a nonprofit team to be fully cohesive, every member has to understand what the short and long term goals and initiatives are. To do this most effectively, there needs to be a single platform of communication that everyone has access to. A good human resource system allows nonprofits to set up their own intranet of communication within their organization. With an HR solution, nonprofits can easily:
- setup an internal social network or corporate intranet designed around the nonprofit’s mission
- manage and store internal documents and policies from one centralized location that all employees can access
- create automated workflows for employees to complete anytime, anywhere
Staff Development Developing your team to become leaders and advocates for your mission is critical to the success of nonprofits. Employees need to see a future and growth path within your company and the best way to do that is through a development plan with a set of goals to strive towards. HR software offers multiple tools such as performance management and training that allows you to get the most out of your employees. Some of the greatest benefits for nonprofits include:
- developing competency and performance management programs that can be tracked and assessed throughout the year
- storing training videos and assessments in one centralized location
- creating training programs that can be managed and measured automatically and in real-time
Integrating a strong automated HR platform and using it to overcome some of the top challenges seen in nonprofits, allows HR professionals to get back to their goal of attracting, engaging and retaining top talent, and get your non-profit one step closer to accomplishing the mission.
Workuments is the most flexible HR software engineered for nonprofits. It is designed to easily integrate into organization’s current processes and accommodate the most sophisticated needs. In addition to taking advantage of the most flexible product, Workuments customers enjoy services of the industry’s only Platinum Concierge, a dedicated, premium, executive-level support experience.
About Workuments –Workuments is a highly distinctive portfolio of HR, talent management, and rapid application development software focused on technological excellence and innovation. The Workuments Performance and Competency Management is a key building block in the Workuments suite designed specifically to assist HR with aligning its people process with organizational strategy. For more information, visit www.workuments.com.
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