Remote and hybrid work are often touted as a way to help nonprofits be more competitive in the job market, but not all positions are suited for remote work. So, what can nonprofits do if they want to provide flexibility, but can’t offer full-time remote or hybrid options to everyone?
Experts say there are still steps nonprofits can take to be more competitive in a world that increasingly values work-life balance. They say the first thing to keep in mind is that remote and hybrid options don’t have to be one-size-fits-all.
The nonprofit iMentor has employees who work in schools with students. The organization determined not everyone had to share the same hybrid schedule.
“Direct-service employees are teaching curriculum to students, arranging for peer events to bring mentors and mentees together,” says Michelle Diaz, chief talent and equity officer. “Their hybrid looks a little bit different than folks who are not direct-service.”
While most staff members come into the office two days a week and work remotely three days, employees who work in the schools are in-person four days a week. To offset that lack of flexibility during the school year, those employees get a three-week block of additional leave in July, when school is out.
Offering additional benefits to employees who can’t work remotely is a good idea, experts say. When figuring out what to offer, ask staff what appeals to them and, if feasible, try to incorporate their ideas, says Tracye Weeks, managing director for strategy and advisory at Nonprofit HR.
“What’s been successful is [when nonprofits] asked the people who can’t work remotely, ‘What other benefits can we infuse?’ and getting their buy in,” she says.
This is particularly helpful in environments where some staff can work remote or hybrid schedules and others must be in-person. Listening to staff about their concerns and desires and getting buy-in for the offerings helps “stabilize those environments,” Weeks says.
She notes that some organizations choose to set a single in-office policy for everyone. However, that is not a panacea, Weeks says, remembering one organization that set such a policy. “They received a lot of pushback in the beginning, because there were a lot of questions from those people who could do their work from home,” she recalls.
This policy also required talking to staff, listening to concerns and explaining the reasoning behind it. While the staff in this situation eventually accepted the policy, Weeks says whatever path an organization takes will require good back-and-forth communication with employees. And some employees who value remote or hybrid work may leave.
Flex Scheduling, Loan Forgiveness
Nonprofits are trying to offer additional benefits, including pay increases, or flexibility in other ways to employees whose jobs require them to be in-person, says Rick Cohen, chief operating officer of the National Council of Nonprofits.
“If there is funding to be able to increase salaries, they try to do that,” Cohen says. “But it’s a big challenge. Most organizations are stuck when it comes to salary.”
Cohen says if a pay raise isn’t possible, organizations can try to offer greater flexibility in other ways. Among the strategies he’s seen nonprofits employ: flex scheduling, more floating holidays, even four-day work weeks.
The problem is, if someone leaves, organizations lose their ability to be flexible. The council’s own research suggests that’s an issue for many groups. In its most recent workforce survey, 74 percent of nonprofits reported vacancies in their direct-services positions.
“If they have all the staff that they need, they might be able to offer additional flexibility,” Cohen says. “But if they’re already shorthanded, that flexibility is a lot harder to offer.”
Nonprofits who can’t offer flexibility are trying another selling point to hire and retain workers: student loan forgiveness.
“We have really seen a big increase in organizations that are promoting the fact that by working for a nonprofit, you become eligible for public-service loan-forgiveness programs,” Cohen says. “That program has been around for a long time, but only in the last couple of years has it really taken off as something that’s promoted in job posts.”
‘The Importance of Listening’
It’s important for organizations to ask staff questions about their needs, to get a sense of what benefits might work best to keep them engaged and fulfilled, says Weeks, the human-resources expert.
“These are the people who are supposed to be working with you to grow your organization,” she says. “You’re missing out on an opportunity if you’re not talking to them.”
That’s what American Jewish World Service did as it implemented its plan to become a primarily remote organization, says Venus Devnani, executive vice president.
“The top lessons that we’ve learned are around just the importance of listening,” she says. Before coming up with a remote policy that closed several satellite locations and left the headquarters building open for those who wish to use it, leaders went on a listening tour to hear staff concerns and ideas. Leaving headquarters open for staff who wanted to work at the office meant facilities staff would generally need to be on-site and not have the option of remote work. To provide greater fairness, facilities staff are allowed to work remote on Fridays, and people who come to the building know they won’t have facilities support, except in emergencies.
When thinking about ways to provide flexibility for staff and meet the needs of your mission, it’s important to “come from a place of yes,” Devnani says. “I think there are gut reactions to say no. When we do try to come from a place of yes, you can move mountains for people.”
Weeks agrees. She says trying new things is important and can go a long way with staff, who see the organization is attempting to better meet their needs.
“Just giving people options and making sure they understand that if something doesn’t work, you can try something else,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to fail. Fail fast and be transparent about it.”
