Creative staffing solutions

Predicted labour shortages over the next two decades will challenge many non profit organisations, especially NGO's.

Non-government, not for profits will have to compete for qualified and experienced staff against the public sector and corporate sector. Both are more adequately funded to attract quality staff.

The key strategy for non profits for the future will be to focus not on recruiting people but on retaining their best people, while also developing the potential of those that are not delivering on their potential. A loss of key staff will impact on how services may be delivered and ultimately will impact on future funding. It is not an overstatement to suggest the very viability and sustainability of many non profits will be on the line over the next ten years or so.

What can your organisation do to combat this? There are a number of potential solutions. Some will require you, and your committee, to move outside of their comfort zone.

Look to other organsiations in your region. Form an alliance with them. Meet to discuss staffing issues, needs and wants. Identify ways in which you may all work together on common issues. It could be you create job sharing, or second workers from one org to another. You could share some back office functions for example to free up cash flow which can then be used to bolster salaries of key people in service delivery.

Move beyond clinical supervision and look to develop potential. Every employee has potential, most of it hidden, simply because noone puts in place a process to identify how they would like to contribute - and I am sorry to say that most supervision or appraisal processes are woefully inadequate and incapable of achieving this. Look at leadership and management development. Look for areas where people might take on additional responsibility. Look at how work and jobs are structured.

A key area for helping to retain key staff is workplace stress. Research shows the quickest way to lose a key player is to not address the core causes of workplace stress. When there is an alternative to workplace stress, when another organisation offers a less stressful environment then money is not even discussed. People do not need, nor do they deserve, to be placed in ongoing stressful environments at work. The key activity here is to focus not just on the individual but also on the organisation and to identify the root cause of stress - then try to remove the cause.

Stop taking employees for granted. Every day I hear this, 'people work in this sector because they have passion'. Granted, it is true, that is until the cost of petrol and groceries escalates due to increased cost of labour and then, man oh man, passion be damned - it will be show me the money.As an employer you need to work with each employee. You need to help them identify what it is they actually contribute to your organisation, the value of that contribution and how their work contributes directly to the strategic direction of the organisation. This creates pride in what they do.

Find a way to get rid of the deadwood NOW. It will be to late to do so when there is a labour shortage. Those that have no desire to develop their potential have no future. They will be the last people to leave voluntarily. Give them to someone else to worry about. You may well be running a charity - for the community that is - not for deadbeats who want to collect a paypacket without actually contributing to the organisations sustainability or to the community.

In summary, it is time to take an organisational-wide perspective on the entire issue of workforce development in your organisation. A bit of time and money spent now will place you in a good position for the future. Call John Coxon on +6135561 8882 or email to discuss how we are able to help you achieve this.

Let The Journey Continue

John Coxon
Taking You From Frontline Manager to CEO
Email john@johncoxon.com.au
Skype: john_coxon
Blog: http://healthsector.blogspot.com
Blog: http://nfp-management.blogspot.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/johncoxon
Follow john_coxon on Twitter
Join John Coxon on Facebook