April 29, 2026 Giving Feedback, Leadership, Managing People Well

15 things NFP leaders should always say

We asked jobseekers working in the NFP sector to tell us what advice they’d give their current employer to “help improve the workplace, processes and practices in your organisation?” And guess what came top of the list?

Better communication!

If you want to be a good leader then it’s essential to also be a good communicator. The words you say to your team, no matter how minor you think they might be, can have an impact on job satisfaction and productivity. That makes good communication a core part of every leader’s job.

April 22, 2026 Human Resources, Legal Issues, Organisational Strategy

Why your NFP needs an AI policy – and how to write one

Generative AI has quickly made its way into almost every organisational workflow, and left the door open for a range of ethical grey areas to become potentially serious issues. From privacy breaches and the misuse of sensitive data, to biased outputs, misinformation and reputational risks – the risks that AI use pose to NFPs are new, varied, and often invisible until something goes wrong.

(And if you think your organisation’s employees aren’t really using AI, then think again – as many as a quarter (21-27%) of all employees are using AI tools secretly at work.)

So where should you start when it comes to writing an effective AI policy for your organisation, and what elements should one include?

April 15, 2026 Managing People Well

New manager? Here are the top three things you should focus on

Stepping into a new role can be exciting and stressful. Even more stressful if you’re needing to do work that you have little experience doing beforehand: managing people. When you step into a management role, it can be tempting to want to deliver results straight away to make a great first impression, get some ‘runs on the board’ and reward the trust of the person who employed or promoted you.

Instead, here are the three things that experts say new managers should focus on first up, to succeed in the long term.

April 1, 2026 Culture and Values, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Recruitment

Six ways to make your recruitment process work for First Nations candidates

If Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates aren’t applying for your roles, the barrier may not be a lack of interest – it may be your recruitment process. Even when NFP employers are working to build a more inclusive workforce, the way roles are designed and advertised can unintentionally exclude First Nations applicants.

The good news is that NFPs can make small changes to create genuinely welcoming, culturally safe hiring processes – and increase engagement from First Nations candidates.

We asked Australia’s only 100% Aboriginal-owned executive recruitment firm specialising in Indigenous appointments how to craft a recruitment process that encourages First Nations people to apply for a role.

March 25, 2026 Recruitment

Does checking references really help you find the best candidate? Here’s what the evidence says

Does checking references really help find the best candidate?

When hiring a new employee, you likely consider information from several sources beyond just a CV and an interview.

One of the most common is to check applicant’s references by speaking to their referees – previous managers or colleagues. Reference checks tend to be the final hurdle; a sort of background check for the candidate’s job history and credentials.

But research suggests there are important limitations to reference checks that are worth keeping in mind.

March 18, 2026 Leadership, Productivity

Work Smarter with AI: How NFP leaders can embed responsible AI use

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being adopted across not-for-profit workplaces, but alongside the productivity gains from this new technology comes a growing concern: what is the cognitive cost for the people using it?

Research shows that relying heavily on AI can degrade critical thinking and intellectual independence – precisely the skills NFPs need to solve complex problems.

So how can NFP leaders protect teams’ cognitive skills while still benefiting from the productivity gains AI can offer?

March 11, 2026 Human Resources, Legal Issues, Remuneration

Could you be underpaying your employees? Here’s how to know and what to do

Could your NFP be underpaying employees?

As an NFP leader, how confident are you that the people delivering your organisation’s mission are being paid what they’re entitled to? Underpayment is broad problem that affects hundreds of employers and around 250,000 underpaid Australian workers each year. Recognising the early warning signs and taking corrective action can help protect both staff and organisational integrity. Here’s where to start.

March 4, 2026 Health & Wellbeing, Managing People Well

Lonely employees are twice as likely to quit. Here’s what you can do to address this risk for your NFP

What you can do to address loneliness at work

Workplaces are one of the few environments that we can intentionally design for connection. When NFP leaders recognise loneliness as both a human and organisational issue, they unlock the opportunity to build cultures where people don’t just work together – they also feel seen, supported and part of something larger than themselves. Here’s how to do that in your team or organisation.

February 26, 2026 Recruitment

10 things you need to know before you engage a recruitment agency

For NFPs, the decision to use a recruiter can be a difficult one. While they can open doors and save time, they are very expensive – up to 20 percent of the first year’s salary for the role you’re recruiting. So if you decide to go down that path, you need to ensure you’re doing it for the right reasons, and you’re going into it with your eyes wide open.

February 18, 2026 Human Resources, Managing People Well, Onboarding, Productivity

Making probation matter: a guide for NFP employers

Hiring a new employee takes a lot of time and effort, which makes it all the more frustrating if a new hire resigns – around one in eight Australian employees resign during their probation period – or needs to be dismissed in their first few months in the role.

For smaller NFPs in particular, early turnover can unsettle team dynamics and add pressure to already stretched staff – impacts that are often avoidable with a structured probation process.

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