Charity recruitment and staff wellbeing: two outsourced services to transform your organisation

Entirely understandably, anyone involved in a not-for-profit organisation is keen for as much cash as possible to go directly to the good cause in question. So there needs to be a clear ROI on any money reinvested in the charity, meaning no outsourcing decision is ever taken lightly.

But, as with any organisation, the rewards can be many, from cost and efficiency savings to access to specialist skills. And with countless small and medium-sized charities currently finding their budgets stretched, it’s hardly surprising that not-for-profits are increasingly outsourcing activities from legal services to payroll, pension admin and investments.

Here are a couple of elements you may not have previously considered outsourcing, but which lend themselves well to external input.

• A wellbeing coach

Staff wellbeing is increasingly a concern. The Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development revealed towards the end of last year that UK staff are now off sick more than at any point in the previous decade. Employees took an average of 7.8 days in the last year, up from the pre-pandemic figure of 7.8.

Another figure, from HR News, found that over half of UK workers weren’t discussing their wellbeing with their manager. Meanwhile, research from Lyra Health found that more than three-quarters (78%) of UK staff said their mental health had affected their ability to do their job over the previous year.

In the third sector, where charity staff frequently care passionately about the causes they work for, regularly putting in extra unpaid hours, overwork and burnout are particular risks.

Investment in this area can boost staff retention, reducing the costs of recruiting new team members, and bringing down numbers of sick days. Healthy, happy staff are more productive, which will have a significant impact on your bottom line and organisational growth.

Indeed, any employer should view wellbeing as an essential strategic investment, not something that’s a perk or ‘nice to have’.

Yet this is an area which remains poorly understood, with surprisingly little research or knowledge of best practices around. So, again, you may need to outsource to access expertise. A wellbeing coach  offers non-clinical advice to help teams become more efficient, motivated and committed to change their lifestyle and enhance their health.

A coach like this is an expert in behavioural change, and could work at your charity in a person-centric way without being prescriptive or directive, by setting personalised goals.

• Recruitment

In a challenging world, all charities need the best hiring strategy to attract and keep exceptional talent and further their particular cause. Having the wrong person in the wrong job is clearly inefficient, expensive and demoralising for all concerned.

Research from Nottingham Trent University and Pro Bono Economics found that the vast majority (83%) of charities struggled to fill vacancies. There was also extensive evidence of a shortage of high-calibre candidates, high staff turnover and limited diversity. Many organisations have limited recruitment budgets, and there’s stiff competition for the best people.

A specialist charity recruitment agency can make a significant difference by reducing the risk and expense of a bad hire, while providing access to a wide pool of talent. They will also have specific expertise in charity recruitment, so will be ideally placed to advise on developments and trends in the sector.

A recruiter like this will make you more able to respond to the needs of your community, by assessing candidates’ commitment to the cause as well as their professional and personal profile.

Finally, sourcing the best people can be a drawn-out, time-consuming and costly business. Most charities simply don’t have the resources to conduct a hiring process to the best of their abilities. With outsourcing, the senior leadership team will be able to focus on core activities rather than advertising, interviewing and so on, meaning efficiency increases while the charity saves time and money.

If you’re considering charity recruitment and outsourcing, think about adding these two services to the list – and give some serious thought to how your organisation could benefit.

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Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.