It’s hard to believe that 2017 is almost over! We hope it’s been a great year for you – and that the ideas and perspectives we’ve been able to bring you this year through the Not-For-Profit People Blog and Conference have made a positive impact for you and your organisation’s staff and volunteers.

We’re looking forward to bringing you more organisation-changing ideas to attract, manage, train and retain the very best people in 2018 – but in the meantime, we hope you enjoy taking a look back at our 10 most popular posts of 2017.

Happy and safe holidays!

1. Six workplace wellbeing ideas that won’t cost your NFP a cent

There are thousands of reasons to invest time and energy in fostering greater wellbeing in your workplace.

Of course the most important reasons are focused on a genuine concern for your colleagues’ wellbeing, and also a broader commitment to creating a workplace where people truly enjoy and are fulfilled by their work.

Beyond these, there are also arguments that a healthy workplace makes economic sense for your organisation too.

2. Death and the workplace: a compassionate way forward for your organization

It is early, the morning is beautiful. Just one week until they break for Christmas, fourteen corporates file in and take their places around the table of a Macquarie Group boardroom. With a view of Barangaroo they sip their fresh coffee, begin their croissants, and talk about death.

3. How to tell the difference between a staff member who’s underperforming, and one who’s suffering with their mental health

A key part of any manager’s job is to know how to approach staff who are struggling to do their job to the required standards or expectations.

But with increasing recognition of mental illness in the workplace, before you begin a performance management process with a staff member, it’s important to ask: could this be a mental health problem, rather than a pure performance problem?

And how do you tell the difference?

4. Five myths that could be causing staff at your NFP to burn out

It’s no secret: in the NFP sector, burnout happens.

An average Australian worker puts in around six hours of unpaid overtime a week – possibly even higher among those working in the not-for-profit sector.

5. Why your gut instinct is wrong when you’re recruiting – and how to know when it isn’t

Let’s say you’re interviewing a new applicant for a job and you feel something is off. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but you’re a bit uncomfortable with this person. She says all the right things, her resume is great, she’d be a perfect hire for this job – except your gut tells you otherwise.

Should you go with your gut?

6. Three sources of staff burnout in your NFP – and how to tackle them

Burnout is a common problem in Australian workplaces – and in the NFP sector in particular.

Among the “most at-risk occupations” for mental heath claims, community sector workers – “social and welfare professionals” and “health and welfare support workers” – occupy two of the top five positions.

7. If a candidate turns down your job offer, do this next

You’ve gone through a thorough recruitment process, interviewed some exciting applicants and you’re ready to make an offer to the standout candidate.

But when you call to give them the good news, they turn you down. Now what?

8. Could flexible work be damaging the lives of your staff?

Imagine if you could work whenever and wherever you wanted to. Would you work less and enjoy more time with family and friends? Or would you end up perpetually working, have work spill over into the rest of your life?

9. Six rules from the experts for effectively managing volunteers

It’s no secret that volunteers are the backbone of the not-for-profit sector.

In fact, 80% of Australian NFPs engage at least one of 2.97 million volunteers nationwide.

Yet despite being critical to the success of so many organisations, it’s also no secret that volunteer retention is an ongoing challenge. One study showed that a staggering 70% of volunteers don’t return after their first stint.

10. Five tips to hire an amazing admin person for your NFP

Every organisation has them. And a bad one can cause serious problems for a team – while a good one can be be a god-send. So what should you look for when you’re recruiting an admin person for your team?