July 16, 2013
Whether its the summer, fall, winter or spring, nonprofits often have periods that are more busy than others, and when the pace gets faster, board members and top decision-makers may want to bring in some extra help. Hiring seasonal employees isn't as easy as it may seem; organizations still need to identify staff members who will work hard and try their best to carry out the goals of the nonprofit. Here are some tips leaders can use to ensure the are adding the right temporary workers to their team.
Use the nonprofits reputation as an advantage
Many people want to make a difference in the world, and working at a nonprofit could be their way of doing just that. Steve Kane, owner of HR consulting firm Kane Partners, told Fox Business that an organization's reputation may be what incentivizes seasonal employees to apply to join the team. Nonprofits must be sure their initiatives to help people are well-known and their site has a lot of good information to encourage strong candidates to want to work with them.
"You need a positive reputation, so that potential employees themselves know that if they went to work for you, they would have a great experience, and they would be lucky to get that opportunity," Kane told the news source.
Look for someone with a positive attitude
Nonprofits often need people who can help out in all sections of the organization or professionals with a strong work ethic to bring in more donations. Nonetheless, seasonal employees should be people who are happy to come to work every day and contribute to the overall morale of the organization. According to Monster, sometimes aptitude isn't as important as a candidate's personality if the nonprofit is adding people who can be positive influences on other team members. Finding a group of employees that work will could well together could provide a big lift during busy season.
Ask decision-makers to be mentors
Seasonal staff often don't have a lot of time to get acclimated to their work environment, which is why leaders at an organization have to be able to quickly show them the ropes and how processes get done, said Fox Business. If top decision-makers and board members serve as mentors, short-term employees can become an asset right away.
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We first started using First Nonprofit’s Unemployment Savings Program when we were a small startup nonprofit. We didn’t have an HR department and needed expertise in the event that an unemployment claim was made. We knew we were eligible to be a reimbursing employer, but weren’t sure how to navigate that process. They made it easy to set things up, plan for, and then manage claims when they came at a very reasonable cost. The amount of time and stress they’ve saved us dealing with all this has been worth way more than the cost. We’ve now grown to a large nonprofit and do have an HR department but have no plans to stop using their services. I highly recommend them to every nonprofit I come into contact with!
Throughout our membership in the Unemployment Savings Program, First Nonprofit understood our demands, community dynamics, and the importance of seamless services; that allowed us to serve our constituents better.
Because INCS advocates for the operating conditions that allow charter public schools to provide high quality public education, partnering with First Nonprofit was an easy decision. First Nonprofit’s unemployment programs provide our member schools two operating elements crucial to their ability to provide high quality public education: savings and budget certainty. Capable, committed teachers are the key to student success. By participating in the unemployment insurance savings plan, charter public schools gain peace of mind and are able to invest more money in their teachers.
It has been our sincere pleasure to maintain a strong, vibrant business partnership with First Nonprofit. We greatly admire their strong industry knowledge, technical expertise, constant professionalism, knowledgeable and dedicated staff. They are always extremely responsive, personable and provide us with the necessary guidance and recommendations on a numerous variety of employment scenarios.
NYCON members who use First Nonprofit’s programs enjoy enduring savings and improved efficiency. Our association knows that success, because from the beginning, we achieved the same great benefits. Great savings, seamless technology, and responsive service. NYCON highly recommends First Nonprofit’s remarkable unemployment solutions.
Visually Impaired Preschool Services has been a client of First Non-Profit since it was first offered as a benefit of VisionServe Alliance. We completed a thorough evaluation of cash savings to our agency before taking advantage of this wonderful benefit and it has been a very wise decision. Our experience with the processes from accounting to claims have been professional, expeditious and easy.
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