News | 2into3 - Part 11

Non-paid Benefits: An Analysis of the Market

26th September 2022

Undoubtedly, we are still seeing a shift in the employment market to that of a ‘buyers’. In March of this year, Charities Institute recorded that 79% of organisations were struggling to hire, as there is an oversaturation of roles on offer in the sector. Increasingly, nonprofits find their talent being poached by the corporate organisation with a higher profile, higher pay, better pensions and employment guarantee. ‘When Charity Staff leave an organisation, 62% move out of the charity sector altogether’. Restricted funded organisation, the likes of section 39’s, find themselves losing staff due to better benefits elsewhere. Rising Inflation prices are also a consistent concern that is being felt across sectors. According to the Irish Times, ‘Prices in Ireland rose an estimated 9.6 per cent in the year to July’. With inflation, security and burnout becoming increasingly prevalent worries for staff, do organisations need to start putting emphasis on other non-monetary supports, such as non-paid benefits?

Staff Retention and Non-Paid Benefits

In the wake of the 2008 Recession, employees working in the nonprofit sector, along with other sectors in the economy, experienced pay cuts and/or pay freezes, worked shorter hours and/or took on extra work for reduced pay. HSE funded organisations saw a funding-cut that has seen organisations recovering to only 70% of pre-recession funds. Staff were left feeling undervalued, underpaid and with a lack of career progression. This caused unforeseen difficulties for organisations, despite their team’s dedication to the mission, they struggled to retain staff due to budget cuts. With inflation on the rise and economic advisors throwing around the word ‘recession’, we can learn from here to get our cards in order in a proactive manner to protect both our organisations and staff.

Flexibility in Post- Covid Working Environment

In analysis of The Community Foundation’s National Guide to pay and benefits in community, voluntary & charitable sector 2019, some obvious areas for consideration are apparent. ‘Flexibility’, is an element of the report in a post-covid working environment that can be easily addressed by your organisation. Remote and Hybrid policies are essential for providing work/life balance to staff. Though it may seem like an obvious standard to have in place, many companies are enforcing return to work policies. It is important to ask the following questions before proceeding with enforcing new policies. Would your staff prefer to work from home or have flexible working hours instead? Could you offer more days of annual leave to your staff? Do you offer income protection, death in service or have sick leave policy in place that is higher than the statutory amount? Do you offer a pension contribution to all staff or just the most senior of the team?

There are also certain statutory requirements that could be considered non-paid benefits that your team aren’t aware of. If you have a human resource function, this could be easily bridged by explaining, for example, how to avail of a tax saver public transport ticket or how to get onto the bike to work scheme. If you have a generous maternity or paternity leave policy in place or provide service leave for long standing staff, are your employees or candidates aware of this? Do you provide any educational assistance in the form of study leave or monetary assistance to any or all staff? Could you provide a lower pension contribution to junior staff at 2% to help all staff with long- term financial planning?

Reflecting on Your Organisations’ Benefits

As The Wheel & The Community Foundation for Ireland compile their most recent research into the non-paid benefits of the nonprofit sector for 2022, it is as good a time as ever to question your organisation’s benefits and career progression structures. What are your staff struggling with and which non-paid benefits are they seeking? Is your organisation large enough to have a Human Resources function? If not, do your board members have capacity to provide that support to staff? Do you provide a career mentor service to younger staff for career progression?

In response to funding uncertainty, you could provide pay scales, simplify pay structures or introduce a Service Award e.g. a payment after ‘x’ number of years to help retain staff. For staff morale, you could introduce ‘staff away’ days or include a staff wellness programme. For attracting junior staff, could you introduce a graduate programme or offer links with third level institutions.

The two most important takeaways are: to consider your staff and their needs, and be creative in how to support them within your financial limits. In placing your team, however big or small, at the forefront of your organisational culture, you will undoubtedly see more staff retention and attraction of talent. Job insecurity, burnout and inflation are going nowhere anytime soon and non—paid benefits will continue to be at the centre of candidate’s minds where salary no longer becomes the most important element of contract discussions.

For more information on staff retention, visit our recent ‘Recruitment and Retention’ event summary, or if you’re interested in expanding your team, contact Fergal O’Sullivan for further details on senior recruitment.

How to Recruit and Retain Volunteers 2into3

How Nonprofits can Mitigate Risk at a Time of Crisis

19th September 2022

Last weeks session by the Wheel on their Pre-Budget 2023 Submission was a stark reminder of the scale of the financial challenges facing the community and voluntary organisations. The Wheel have completed fantastic work in developing a set of costed asks on behalf of the sector for An Taoiseach and relevant Ministers to consider in putting together the 2023 budget. As we await the decided outcome on the 27th September, there are some important lessons that all nonprofits should reflect on to ensure they are best placed to weather this and future storms.

The importance of a diverse funding model

Organisations that do not rely too heavily on one source of income are more resilient.

We saw the extent to which public and community fundraising was impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. The Wheel’s submission describes how community and voluntary organisations which are reliant on state funding – including under Section 39 (HSE), Section 56 (Tusla) and Section 10 (Housing Act) arrangements – now face an existential shortage of funding, with many not seeing any increases in funding since 2008, representing a decline in real terms. State funding can often be the slowest to adapt and respond.

Our data from the Irish Giving Index shows that fundraising is surprisingly resilient during times of crisis or economic downtown. However, different income sources are affected by differently. All nonprofits should consider and strategise for how to diversify their funding models to reduce risk.

The importance of making time to strategise

COVID-19 demonstrated that nonprofits are capable of innovation and flexibility, with virtually every organisation having to adapt how it delivered its mission and key services almost overnight. The necessity of responsiveness continues today with organisations tackling what seem like the poly-crises of inflation, the impact of the War in Ukraine, housing, and health waiting lists.

Organisations and their staff can operate reactively for only so long. While it can seem too difficult to carve out the time for strategic thinking at a time like this, it’s the only way that nonprofits can find a way out of firefighting mode in the medium to long term.

In order to ensure the sustainability of your operations, and ensure the wellbeing of your staff, make the time to ask the tough questions: What is our core purpose? What services and supports will help us deliver our Mission and meet the needs of our service users and communities? Can we deliver our work in more efficient or effective ways (such as through collaborations or by using hybrid models)? Do we have the right organisational structure to deliver on our ambitions?

The importance of talent management

We all know that pay has never been what has attracted people to the community and voluntary sector. However, there are now many factors that risk drawing away your key talent – including the impact of inflation on household’s own budgets, and the negotiated increases in public sector pay. Fran Brennan, The Wheel Event panellist from Polio Survivors Ireland, shared that it took the organisation 18 months to recruit a volunteer coordinator.

The Wheel is making some important asks to government that will support the sector recruit and retain staff such as mainstreaming multi-annual state funding, providing funding that supports full-cost-recovery, and dedicated investments for workforce skills and training.

As we discussed at a recent 2into3 event, there are other things organisations can do beside pay increases to retain staff for instances flexible working policies, a supportive working culture, training and development opportunities.

For more information on these findings, or to avail of our strategic planning services, contact Luna Atkins or visit here.

Recruitment & Retention Challenges in Nonprofits: Is it just about pay?

9th September 2022

Last Thursday 1^st September, we held an in-person event, ‘Recruitment & Retention Challenges in Nonprofits: Is it just about pay?’ at our head office, Huckletree in the Academy, 42 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Our speakers included Dennis O’Connor, CEO of 2into3, Fergal O’Sullivan, Head of Recruitment at 2into3, Dr. Rhonda Wynne, Head of For Purpose and Jerome Forde, CEO of HR Duo. Our panellists discussed what is involved to arrive at a thorough pay and benefits analysis of your organisation. Our speakers also shared their insights on the current recruitment climate, including the challenges and opportunities in future.

Dennis O’Connor, CEO of 2into3

Dennis welcomed our attendees by discussing the role of pay in talent acquisition and retention. He highlighted how nonprofit employees are generally not attracted to the nonprofit sector for the promise of salaries that will match the private sector, but for broader purpose. Despite this, nonprofit organisations must be aware of the average salary range within their organisational field. One way to measure this is via salary benchmarking. Dennis noted that a key factor within talent retention is to ‘mind the gap’. If the gap between your organisation’s salary, versus another nonprofit organisation is large (between 20-30% extra) for the same position, talent retention will be difficult. Many employees will become aware of this gap, which could lead to resignation.

Dennis highlights that although pay is an important factor in recruitment and retention, there are many other non-pay factors to consider. Non-pay benefits such as pension contribution by organisation, annual leave, flexible working hours etc. also contribute to the retention of your employees. It is important to have a balance between providing a salary that fits with the market rate, whilst also providing non-pay benefits.

Dennis also addressed the Cost of Living Crisis as an important factor to consider within recruiting and retaining talent. This is an important factor to consider, however, before your nonprofit review your current pay scales, it is in your organisation’s best interest to wait until the 2023 budget is released on 27^th September 2022.

Fergal O’Sullivan, Head of Recruitment at 2into3

Fergal O’Sullivan, Head of Recruitment at 2into3, discussed senior talent recruitment and retention. He discussed the recent changes to the senior nonprofit landscape, including external factors such as Covid, shifting career focus and our current growing economy with full employment. Senior candidates are not actively seeking new positions in the current market. With many uncertain external factors having an impact on their decision, employees are thinking carefully about whether they want to leave a permanent, possibly pensionable, role for a new position which may have a six-month probationary period. They may also have secured a significant level of flexibility with their employer in terms of remote and hybrid working arrangements and are keen not to relinquish this.

From a recruitment perspective, remaining flexible and open to new ways of working is a priority for most candidates. Fergal explains that the majority of candidates do not enter the nonprofit sector, especially when moving from the private sector, with a pay scale motivation. Generally, they want to work for an organisation they believe in. Communicating the other non-pay benefits is therefore extremely beneficial at recruitment stage and managing pay expectations from the very beginning.

Dr. Rhonda Wynne, Head of For Purpose Graduate Programme

Rhonda talked about the future of the nonprofit sector from a graduate perspective. It is important that organisations invest in graduates who will grow within their organisation and become future leaders in the sector. Graduates have many options within the private sector, however, the For Purpose Graduate Programme is Ireland’s only nonprofit graduate programme. Graduates’ motivation to enter into the nonprofit sector versus the ‘for profit’ sector is moreso related to fulfilling a greater purpose than the need for a competitive graduate salary. Moreover, it is extremely important for organisations to focus on developing their graduate’s skills, so they feel valued and know they’re contributing.

Rhonda explains that from the interviews she has conducted, the top priority for graduates is not regarding pay, but for culture, career growth in the nonprofit sector and flexible working. Therefore, the main concern for nonprofits is to provide a fair graduate salary, but to provide engaging projects, ensuring the graduate is supported and encouraged within their role. Providing opportunities for graduates in their roles to see the impact of the work in their organisation is extremely important for purpose-driven graduates.

Jerome Forde, CEO of HR Duo

Lastly, Jerome Forde discussed HR Duo’s services. HR Duo automates all the day-to-day HR practices and places critical data in the hands of managers so that they can concentrate on the value-add activities. Having a HR system that ensures organisations can keep track of their employees annual leave, pay and benefits is extremely important for your nonprofit.

If your organisation is interested in recruiting senior talent, contact Fergal O’Sullivan. If you’re seeking graduate talent contact Dr. Rhonda Wynne. Find out more about recruitment and retention in the nonprofit sector.

How to Inspire your Volunteers with your Nonprofit’s Purpose

6th September 2022

On the 1st September, we hosted a breakfast event, “Recruitment & Retention Challenges in Nonprofits: Is it just about pay?” which was a fascinating discussion about how nonprofits can ensure that they attract and keep talent. There’s another interesting element to this discussion, which probably deserves its own event: How to Inspire your Volunteers with your Nonprofit’s Purpose. While interventions in pay and benefits are not relevant to volunteer recruitment and management, its striking how many similarities there are between the demands of today’s paid and unpaid talent.

Volunteering today: still essential, yet evolving

All of Ireland’s 34,000 nonprofits* rely on volunteers to some degree. All will have Governors, Trustees or Directors that give their time on a sustained basis, over several years, to oversee their organisation and to provide strategic direction.

For many other organisations, the contribution of volunteers is essential for delivering specific services, or running games, events, fundraisers, shops and even the organisation itself. Ireland’s nonprofit sector is dominated by small organisations: in 2019, 48% reported having fewer than five staff, and 20% have no staff*. For these, volunteers are the organisation’s talent.

Given the importance of volunteers for effectiveness of the nonprofit sector, its vital that all organisations remain alive to the changes that have occurred over the last decades in volunteer rates and expectations. The implications could be wide ranging and, for some, existential.

1. Purpose and Impact

One of the most significant shifts in volunteering in Ireland is related to motivation. Up until the mid-90s, ‘wanting to help’ was the number one driving factor. However, since the late 1990s, that has been vastly overtaken by ‘belief in cause’*. Research during COVID-19, found that the key benefits, felt by the majority of volunteers, were a sense of purpose, belonging and impact.

This shift from altruistic-led to purpose-led volunteering is significant, as it implies that today’s volunteers need to understand how their efforts contribute to positive change. It also implies that without that regular affirmation, the motivation and commitment of your volunteers may be jeopardised. Interestingly, at yesterday’s event we also heard about the importance of purpose, impact and culture to today’s talent – especially graduates.

Having current and inspiring Mission, Vision and Values statements, and a Strategic Plan to deliver on those, is crucial as they enable all people at all levels of your organisation to understand what change their contribution is helping to deliver. Make those connections explicit in your volunteer recruitment and support practices. Define your volunteer roles in terms of outcomes, not just tasks.

If you need to refresh your Mission statement or your Strategic Plan, involve your staff and volunteers; make them feel like they have a genuine stake in the future of your organisation. And as you make progress through your Plan, communicate and recognise the impact that has been made with their support.

2. Flexibility and Capacity

‘A lack of time’ has always been the main barrier cited by those not involved in volunteering*. More recently, this has evolved into volunteers wanting greater flexibility in how they give their time.

Volunteers increasing want short-term experiences that fit around their lives, as opposed to long-term commitments on a fixed schedule. We’ve even seen the rise of ‘micro-volunteering’ – bite-size, task-based volunteering with minimal commitment and formality – a format most favoured by younger cohorts, and often carried out entirely online*.

While not all volunteering tasks can be adapted to micro-volunteering, nonprofits do need to find ways to respond to the pull towards flexibilization in order to attract and retain volunteers. Take time to strategically review the services and workstreams that rely on volunteer support, and find opportunities to innovate how they are structured without negatively impacting your service users. How can you build in flexibility into your volunteer programmes?

And also consider the organisational implications for how you manage a more complex constellation of volunteer relationships – on your team, your service users, and the structures, training and technology that support them. Changes at this scale can take years and significant investment to implement, but may be essential to future-proof your organisation.

3. Diversity and Inclusion

Volunteering has long been associated with older and wealthier demographics*. In addition to the points above regarding purpose-driven volunteering and greater flexibility, youth-centred approaches to attracting younger volunteers should seek to address potential obstacles faced by some young people, for instance concerns around transport and expenses*.

Moreover, younger people don’t represent the only demographic in which there are higher barriers to volunteer participation. Like your workforce, organisations should aim for their volunteers to reflect the diversity of the communities they serve.

Being more inclusive takes thought and investment – but it’s worth it. Consider how and where you advertise volunteer opportunities. If you are looking to target a specific demography, take time to understand them, what motivates them, and to build relationships. Tailor your volunteer programmes and communications, and consider how to use peer-to-peer or buddy systems to support inclusion*.

If you are looking to diversify your Board room, do not take for granted what additional supports might need to be put in place to ensure meaningful participation. For instance, first-time Trustees and Directors; people with employment, caring or academic responsibilities; or those with special access needs might require training, mentoring, logistical support, or time accommodations. Equally, be mindful that the culture and practices of your Board or wider organisation might need to adapt in order to be actively inclusive. Token representation serves nobody.

Conclusion

The We Act campaign (coordinated by The Wheel) is a brilliant illustration of the power of people in contributing to a better society. Whether paid or unpaid, everyone involved in nonprofits plays an important role. However, the way people work and volunteer their time has changed, and all organisations should be thinking strategically about how to recruit, retain and recognise the impact of all talent – including volunteers.

If you would like to discuss any of topics mentioned in this article, please feel free to contact Luna Atkins, our Head of the Strategy Advisory Practice on (021) 237 9838.

Considering relooking at your Strategic Plan or Mission, Vision & Values? Here is more info on our Strategy Advisory Practice.

Footnotes

1 https://benefactslegacy.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/benefacts-nonprofit-sector-analysis-2021.pdf

2 https://givingireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Giving-Ireland-2021-Report.pdf

3 https://assets.gov.ie/5587/150119115733-35c3c63a13d248ada01a713955efae4e.pdf

4 https://assets.gov.ie/5587/150119115733-35c3c63a13d248ada01a713955efae4e.pdf

5 https://blogs.ncvo.org.uk/2015/09/28/micro-volunteering-might-be-small-but-its-got-big-potential/

6 https://assets.gov.ie/5587/150119115733-35c3c63a13d248ada01a713955efae4e.pdf

7 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1094203/Volunteering_Journeys_-_accessible.pdf

8 https://www.volunteer.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/InclusiveVolunteeringFinalFeb2022.pdf

Nonprofit Talent Trends Q2 2022

25th July 2022

The latest data from the 2into3 Nonprofit Talent Trends for the second quarter of 2022 shows that recruitment of senior nonprofit roles continues to grow and to rebound from the impact of the pandemic.

Analysis by Subsector

For the period April – June, we recorded 270 management level roles advertised in Ireland, an increase of 21% on the 244 for the same period last year. The number of organisations recruiting rose by 17% (186, up from 159).

Where data was available, we noted that organisations within the Social Services subsector were most active with almost half (49.4%) of all roles advertised. The closest subsectors to them were Health (16.9%) and Local Development & Housing (13.4%). The remaining 20% of organisations were within the remaining 9 subsectors.

The number of Social Services roles grew by 72% versus 2021, but this was outstripped by those in the International sector, which saw growth of 183%, albeit from a low base (17, up from 6). A number of subsectors saw a drop in the number of roles advertised however, including Philanthropy & Volunteerism (down 71%), Professional & Vocational (down 93%) and Recreation & Sport which dropped form 2 roles last year to zero in Q2 2022.

When looking at the different job functions that were advertised, it appears that finance roles are in high demand; the number of such roles advertised almost doubled year-on year, from 5% of the total in 2021 to 9% this year.

Service Delivery & Operational Management remain the most popular role types however, accounting for 51% of all roles, down slightly from their 54% share for the same period last year. CEO / Executive Director roles were less popular, relatively speaking, accounting for 6% of the total versus 14% in 2021.

Conclusions on Q2 2022

It is not surprising to see a continued rebound form the low points of the pandemic, but as the impact of COVID starts to work its way out of the figures, the coming months will be interesting to see if the trends we have seen in recent snapshots continues. Demand for talent certainly remains high, if our experience in 2into3 is anything to go by; whether this can be matched by a supply of talented nonprofit professionals looking for a new challenge is the burning question.

For more information on our previous Nonprofit Talent Trends, visit our page. If you have any queries on our findings, contact Fergal O’Sullivan.

Charities Amendment Bill 2022

6th July 2022

On 30th June, our Head of Recruitment, Fergal O’Sullivan attended a briefing on the Charities Amendment Bill, jointly hosted by The Wheel and Charities Institute Ireland.

The Charities Amendment Bill is to provide a number of amendments to the Charities Act 2009. The proposed amendments aim to improve the ability of the Charities Regulator to conduct its statutory functions, ensuring more proportionate regulation leading to greater public trust and confidence in the charities sector. The full 98-page General Scheme can be found here.

Key Points from Webinar

During the webinar, there was an informative discussion on some interesting proposed changes, including:

Advancement of Human Rights is finally set to become a charitable purpose under Head 4 of the Bill.

The definition of “charity trustee” will be amended to exclude company secretaries or secretaries to the board who hold no other office in the charity.
Charity SORP accounting standards are now going to be required by the CRA, but the exemption to allow for simplified accounts will now apply to those with income less than €250,000 (previously €100,000).
The CRA will need to be notified in advance, and approve of any changes, to an organisation’s Constitution.
The CRA will also get powers to sanction organisations without having to reference to a court.
There are some unclear requirements for Trustees to report “significant events” without saying what these might be, which many on the webinar feared could deter people from becoming Trustees.

As well as this informative webinar, Carmichael have also produced an excellent commentary on the proposed changes, which can be found here.

Thanks to The Wheel and Charities Institute Ireland for hosting an insightful webinar, and to Carmichael for their commentary.

Pride At Work 2into3 Recruitment Team Pride Month 2022

Pride at work: Staff Retention & Belonging

20th June 2022

In May, the recruitment team at 2into3 attended Pride at Work 2022. The event was held over a two-day period and was organised by Dublin Pride. ‘Social barriers in employment’ and ‘Belonging & Staff Retention’ were the morning’s speaker events which the recruitment team attended. The first session focused in on bringing forward the data in the sector to help us eliminate visible & invisible equity barriers that exist in employment for people who identify as LGBTQ+. The second session focused in on organisational culture and the importance in creating a space that builds ‘belonging’.

Pride at Work: Key points

There was a strong emphasis placed on the importance in harnessing our diverse backgrounds to shape a better and stronger workforce. Through equality and support, All boats rise. As employers, we should look for those in the market who harness the skills that come from their lived experiences; resilient problem solving and people driven candidates. This is the untapped candidate pool that would help build stronger teams.

An important discussion that came out of the second session was related to the performative element of inclusion, particularly during Pride month. What is essential for true allyship to the community is regular support over tokenism. Executive Director of ShoutOut, Aifric Ní Chríodáin, noted that organisations for pride month should stride to overcome performative tokenism of company logo changing to be replaced with the implementation of inclusion and belonging training or monetary donations to organisations run by the community. Speaker Noah Halpin, Healthcare Officer from Transgender Equality Network Ireland, gave invaluable advice to add to this that we should not rely on the queer members of our organisations to relay their own personal experiences and trauma for people to be shocked before they will initiate change. Organisations should be proactive to create an inclusive environment regardless of whether there is a visible need. Often people do not know how to ask people about their backgrounds but it is important to get out of your comfort zone to learn about your colleagues.

Culture of Belonging

A point was made of putting emphasis on creating a culture with a focus on belonging instead of inclusion; we shouldn’t have to alter our own behaviour to feel like we belong somewhere. The phrase “psychological safety” was mentioned throughout both sessions. It is essential to make the space psychologically safe for everyone. To encourage both diversity and inclusion in the workplace, employers must create these safe spaces both for individuals who are thinking about applying for a role with your organisation, and a psychologically safe space for employees to work. This creates a sense of belonging which increases retention. Create those role models for younger members of staff; diverse panels of people are flying in their roles because of their identity, not despite it. Also, try open the conversation up to your current staff – what change do they want to see implemented? How could you support them more?

For staff retention to truly function, all staff should feel “safe, understood and supported”. In being culturally aware of the needs of your diverse communities in your workplace, you can create a safe workplace in which your organisation values the individuals and what they can bring to organisation. Focus on what society and the employer need to do to make people feel more welcome, not what changes does the individual need to make. Make the changes in a proactive manner instead of that of reactive. Revaluating staff policies to ensure they are inclusive is one way to create a sense of belonging, e.g., policies surrounding name change, policies surrounding coming out which may make transitioning easier for employees or policies surrounding maternity leave/parental leave for trans employees. While this may not seem relevant now, your organisation may have someone who wants to transition in future. Having policies already in place could help them to feel supported and that it is ‘safe’ to transition.

Importance of Inclusion at Work

In these challenging times for talent management, and especially for recruitment, it makes business sense to be as inclusive as possible, to attract the best talent. Through focusing on current and future staff needs and wants, organisations can build on staff retention and reduce absenteeism. Building the staff culture that the company needs and not the employer wants will prevent inclusion tokenism, and in-still a strong, positive work culture.

Thanks to Tim Lee in Deloitte for the invitation to attend and Dublin Pride for organising the event. Please find below links to the panel member’s organisations. Happy Pride!

Talent Management in Nonprofit Sector 2into3 Fergal O'Sullivan Head of Recruitment 2022

Talent Management in Ireland’s Nonprofit Sector

16th June 2022

Nobody at this stage needs to hear any more analysis of how the last two years has impacted on their sector, or what the likely impact will be of the war in Ukraine or current inflationary challenges. What you do need to hear however, is that you are not alone. A recent survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) showed that 85% of organisations they spoke with said that they are struggling with skills shortages.

This is happening not just because of COVID, Ukraine or inflation. When the impact of COVID is stripped out of the figures, the current rate of unemployment is about the same as it was back in 2019, which is effectively full employment. We also have a workforce with shifting requirements in terms of their careers, a shift that started before March 2020, and manifesting itself in people seeking to take time-out, move to part-time work, and improve their work-life balance.

As a recruiter, I know that Recruitment can often be quite a reactive activity. Someone hands in their notice and you need to replace them as soon as possible. Proactivity may not be always possible in this area, but there is the possibility of becoming more proactive in other areas of talent management, to allow you to become altogether more strategic.

Changes

Like every other part of managing a nonprofit, talent management has changed in the last two years. The question is though: is this a short-term phenomenon, or is the landscape for the next few years, and even forever, changed fundamentally?

These changes have as been driven by several factors, not least of which was the necessity of having to work remotely. In recruitment, all candidate interaction, from initial screening to full panel interviews, had to move online. If you had told employers in late 2019 that they would be recruiting staff at CEO level without ever meeting them in-person, you would have been dismissed out of hand, but that is exactly what had to happen, and did happen.

Additionally, a lot of organisations put recruitment on hold during the uncertain times of the last two years, only to realise that the need for talent was not going away. This backlog of roles is still not fully cleared and has made the fight to attract the best candidates even more competitive. 2into3 tracks advertising activity in the sector for senior level roles to get a snapshot of activity every three months. In Q1 2022, there was an increase of just under 20% in the number of roles advertised versus the same period last year, with every sector bar one (Philanthropy & Volunteerism) showing an increase in activity.

Jobseeker activity is also changed and while we are not quite seeing what many have referred to as “The Great Resignation”, we are seeing what Mary Connaughton, Director of CIPD Ireland calls “The Great Re-evaluation”.

People are looking at an uncertain world and thinking carefully whether they want to leave a permanent, possibly pensionable, role for a new position which may have a six-month probationary period. They may also have secured a significant level of flexibility with their employer in terms of remote and hybrid working arrangements and are keen not to relinquish this.

In almost every interview I do, when I ask candidates if they have any questions at the end of our meeting, the first response is invariably a question in relation to remote or hybrid working. It is front of mind for nearly everybody I meet, and it needs to be so for employers. This can be discussed as a trial approach for now, while an approach that suits everyone is achieved, but be assured, it is something you will need to address.

Anecdotally, the desire for greater working from home arrangements is stronger in those holding more senior roles, or who have been in employment longer. Junior staff, including graduates, appear to keener on working more in the office. This is likely because of the strong desire they have for building social connections, especially if they have never actually worked in person with their colleagues. Those employees who were in the office and organisation pre-2020 have a much better understanding of the organisational culture and how they can work effectively (and how they are expected to work) within it.

The other significant shift we have seen is in terms of the number of people that could be termed “active jobseekers”. There are fewer people applying for each new role, which means for recruiters, a far greater emphasis is placed on the targeted search approach. In 2into3 we are spending a lot more of our time seeking out suitable individuals via our existing databases and networks, as potential candidates are not on the lookout, and need to be made aware of the opportunities.

We are still successfully getting the qualified candidates, but this is extending the time needed to complete recruitment assignments. Time is always a commodity in short supply for organisations that need the talent to keep delivering for their service users and for organisations who choose to manage their recruitment in-house, not having access to such networks can hinder progress significantly.

Adapting

What does the nonprofit sector need to do to better manage our talent? Are there opportunities rather than just challenges in the current climate? Given what we know about the recruitment challenges outlined above, it might be worth considering, if you have a skills gap and cannot find the talent you need, could you work with what you have, maybe structure things better and, in the process, hold on to your best people for longer?

This focus on both recruitment and retention will require a combination of both short-term solutions and long-term plans. One option is essentially a “make or buy” argument. A commitment to graduate development, while not an overnight fix to any skills gaps, could give you access to the brightest young minds who can bring new skills, perspectives, and energy to your organisation, and indeed the sector.

When recruiting at a more senior or experienced level, many organisations have been broadening their horizons somewhat, to consider applications from outside the nonprofit sector, but others are reluctant, for various reasons. The transferability of skills is not always possible, but is worth considering, if there is a core set of skills to work with.

It may also prove challenging when candidates feel they should be able to earn the same salary and benefits they enjoyed in the commercial sector, but as I say every time I meet with people looking to make this change, nobody moves to the nonprofit sector for the money. If you are coming from outside, you need to understand that to step across, you often need to step down a rung or two on the ladder in the short-term, before securing a longer-term step back up. Core skills, no matter how strong, may need a level of reorientation to a nonprofit context and with that will possibly come with a drop in salary or position.

Emphasising your employer brand in the context of your vision, mission, and values can help here, looking beyond the job description and making the work as attractive as possible for non-financial reasons, emphasising both the impact the candidate will have in the role and the job satisfaction that will follow.

For your existing team, the emphasis now is on developing a personalised employee/employer relationship. In this current market, employees have the power, and everyone will have different requirements of the relationship. Flexibility is key and not just in terms of hybrid or remote working. If possible, give people as much freedom as possible to do the work and deliver the required outputs by whatever means works best for all parties. This is not just location, but working hours as well, offering part-time work or even job sharing.

There could also be a customised approach to other areas, such as pay and benefits and career development, where this is possible. The key here is a person-centred approach, adapting to new processes and workflows that evolved during the pandemic, fitting in around individual needs as well as organisational requirements, rather than trying to shoehorn individuals into roles, or vice versa.

If in doubt, speak with people, understand what works best for them and their teams and, if that also works well for your organisation, then work to enable this. By understanding their requirements, you might also be able to secure their services for longer. Not every employee request will be possible, and two people doing a similar job may have competing requests, so staff will need to know not everything they ask for can be granted, but if a simple conversation can lead to agreement on adapted approaches that ensure staff are retained (and more productive), then it is a win for everyone.

The Future

As to where this is all heading, if the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that we cannot predict the future. The war in Ukraine could lead to fundamental shifts in the global economy, but it could also lead to a significant influx of highly motivated workers into the state. Inflation could stagnate at a high rate, it could keep rising, fuelled by pay claims to keep pace with the cost of living, or it could begin to drop. COVID may still have some life left in it, with variants and subvariants arriving without warning.

Each of these external factors, and many more besides, could have a significant impact on how you approach the task of talent management. There is one thing we do know, however. When the most fundamental changes to our world happened overnight, we adapted, and we worked through them, so don’t ever let anyone ever tell you that people cannot change. The lessons of the last two years will stand to us, and we will be better placed to ensure our organisation’s talent is managed well, both in the short and long term.

2into3 attend The Wheel’s 2022 Summit as Lead Partners

9th June 2022

2into3 attended The Wheel’s 2022 Summit on Wednesday 1^st June. We caught up with colleagues in the nonprofit sector, learned from their insights and listened to informative discussion panels. This was a fantastic networking opportunity for Irish nonprofits to share information and learn from each other. Our CEO, Dennis O’Connor spoke about ‘Reflections on Leadership Challenges Facing the Sector: Can Managers Cope?’ Our Head of Practice Areas, Rob Foley, Head of Fundraising and Patricia Keenan, Head of Grants Advisory Practice, spoke during ‘Future Funding: The Opportunities and Challenges Ahead’. Hereafter, Luna Atkins, Head of Strategy Advisory Practice, attended the panel during ‘Boards Behaving Badly and Domineering CEOs’. An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, attended the event to address all of the nonprofits organisations during the event.

Dennis O’Connor, CEO, ‘Reflections on Leadership Challenges Facing the Sector: Can Managers Cope?’

Dennis reflected on the changes in the workplace throughout the years. Organisations in the private sector are required to adapt to external changes regularly, but oftentimes, the nonprofit sector are slower to adapt. At 2into3, we aim to connect strategies from the private sector into the nonprofit sector. Furthermore, Dennis discussed the shift in the role of managers today. There has been a shift in managerial power, from a hierarchical structure, to a team focused one. There has been a shift in skills, from task overseer to performance coach. Finally, there has been a shift to a more fluid workplace, with the implementation of working from home since 2020.

With these changes, it is extremely important for CEO’s to consider how they are supporting their managers by asking the following questions.

What is your workplace like? Does it suit today’s way of working, or was it designed for a different era?
How much are you investing in retraining your managers?
How many of your managers are coaches?
Have your systems caught up with today’s world?
Are your structures a fit for your strategy?

Reflecting on these questions are crucial for CEO’s to consider. The workplace has changed drastically in the past two years, and it is important to support our managers throughout these changes.

Panel Discussions: ‘Future Funding: The Opportunities and Challenges Ahead’

In the afternoon, panel discussions took place with our Head of Grants Advisory Practice, Patricia Keenan and Head of Fundraising, Rob Foley. They shared their insights during ‘Future Funding: The Opportunities and Challenges Ahead’.

This panel discussion focused on the future funding landscape and how you might best orient your efforts. They highlighted how organisations can capitalise on future opportunities and navigate the pitfalls that might lie ahead, discussing where that future funding may be found.

Patricia outlined the availability of funds for Irish nonprofits. There are grants available for a range of organisations and it is in the best interest of nonprofits to find out which ones are suitable to their needs. Therefore, nonprofits can base their fundraising plans off these grants. Rob discussed how the average cost of fundraising has decreased in recent years, with 2into3’s fundraising tracker, the Irish Giving Index.

Panel Discussions: ‘Boards Behaving Badly’

Our final contribution was from Head of Strategic Planning, Luna Atkins, during the ‘Boards Behaving Badly’ panel discussion. This session was part of an ongoing series that discussed what happens when Boards behave badly and CEOs are domineering. Luna, alongside her panellists, explored and discussed the impact this can have on organisations. There is a delicate balancing act of ‘power’ between boards and the CEO and how to proceed when things so wrong. Luna, alongside her panellists, have many years’ experience dealing with these difficult situations. They have seen real trauma resulting from what can only be called an abuse of power.  This can happen on both sides of the board/CEO boundary. The panellists discussed ways to manage this through clarity and the mutual understanding of roles, authorities and the availability and regular use of channels for both communications and feedback. This helps to build trust and constructive relationships.

Address from An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin

An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, delivered a special address to the nonprofit attendees. He discussed the impact the nonprofit sector has on Irish society, particularly over the past two years. He celebrated the sector’s impact by thanking everyone for their contributions in providing ongoing support to Irish citizens throughout these tough times.

Deirdre Garvey, CEO, The Wheel

In the final plenary, the panel reflected on what they’re learnt over the past two years and launched their five year plan. Deirdre Garvey, CEO, The Wheel, closed the final session with a congratulations to everyone in the sector and positive plans for the future.

Patricia Keenan Head of Grants Advisory Services 2into3 Charities Institute Ireland

2into3 attend Charities Institute Ireland Grants and Trust Forum

25th May 2022

On Thursday 19^th May, our Head of Grants Advisory Service, Patricia Keenan, presented at Charities Institute Ireland’s Grants and Trusts Forum. During the event, Patricia discussed how nonprofits can use our grants cycle to benefit their application. We work with nonprofits to help them during pre-application, application and implementation stages of the grant process.

At pre-application stage, we have completed feasibility studies for community facilities with average capital investment of €2.5 million. At application stage, our grants team have had a 94% success rate in grant applications with over 50% receiving full allocation.

Patricia discussed how nonprofits can be proactive before their application, outlining how to source possible funds and steps for being methodical during application stage. Patricia also outlined why organisations should be diligent after their application, followed by a final Q&A.

About our Grants Services

Applying for funding can be a difficult and time-consuming process, involving business plans, costs analysis, technical details, stakeholder research and more. 2into3 can offer practical support through the Grants Advisory Service, where we have developed a grant cycle to offer tailored solutions at every step of your grant application.

2into3 have developed a grants cycle. The 2into3 team can assist you each step of the way or if necessary they can complete a stage at a time, all bespoke to your individual organisation’s needs. More information on our grants services (link to page).

About Charities Institute Ireland

Charities Institute Ireland exists to support and enable charities to create positive social change. Charities Institute Ireland envision an Ireland that trusts and values charities for the positive contribution they make to solving challenges in our society.

Charities Institute Ireland hosts a number of meetings, virtual or in-person networking events, and workshops throughout the calendar year. From guest speakers to regulatory updates you can keep abreast of what’s going on in the sector by joining in.

Get in touch

If you are interested in learning more about our Grants services or would like to speak to our Head of Grants Advisory regarding presenting at an event, contact Patricia Keenan.

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