Frontline leadership expert and former human resources practitioner Karen Schmidt recently presented on “Leading people down the path of change” at a series of Not-For-Profit People Breakfasts in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. In this guest post, Karen uses her ‘Workplace Gardening Philosophy’ to outline four vital steps NFP leaders need to take to manage change […]
Australian workplaces are facing the most significant demographic shift in modern human history. In 1990, just 15.9 percent of the Australian population was aged over 55. Today, that figure sits at one in four – which looks set to increase even further to around one in three within the next decade. But are we ready?
It’s fair to say that most workers would prefer not to work such long hours. But in many NFP organisations, working 40-50 hours a week is expected for a number of roles. Have you ever considered the impact of staff working excessively long hours on your organisation itself?
On the face of it, a lack of conflict in the workplace can seem to signify a well-functioning organisation. But like the duck that looks calm from the surface yet paddles furiously under water to stay in motion, a workplace that appears outwardly peaceful could just be hiding conflict where no-one can see it – or address it.
Saying goodbye to great staff is never easy. And when the person leaving has ‘deep smarts’ – that is, mission-critical, experienced-based knowledge – it can be a particularly difficult blow.
Would it surprise you to learn that making your job interview process more challenging for candidates could improve your staff’s long-term satisfaction? Just a ten percent increase in job interview difficulty could boost your workforce’s collective job satisfaction by up to 3.6 percent – is it time your organisation took a different tack in its interviewing strategy?
In the lead-up to her presentation at the 2015 Not-For-Profit People Conference, Yumi Stamet – a Workforce Adviser for the National Disability Services (NDS) – spoke with us about Buurtzorg, a Dutch NFP that has grown from just 4 staff in 2006 to over 8,000 staff today, by pioneering a system of self-managing teams. Buurtzorg has the most satisfied workforce of any Dutch company with more than 1,000 employees.
Whether it’s due to funding uncertainty, workplace challenges or personal burn out, even the most passionate and dedicated not-for-profit workers can lose their mojo.
So here are five signs that your staff might be disengaging, and five ways to reignite their passion.
It’s the reality that employers are only just beginning to address: the Australian workforce is getting older, fast. As Generation X-ers begin to enter their 50s, NFPs need to plan for the challenges of an older workforce, but also recognise the significant benefits that longer, healthier careers can bring to the sector. Susan Ryan AO […]
Of the 2.1 million working-age Australians with a disability, the majority are unemployed, despite many of them having a desire and the ability to work. This represents an incredible opportunity for NFPs to widen their recruitment pool and not only meet their workforce needs but also improve their organisation’s performance. In this guest post, Tom […]