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E X EC U T I V E AC T I O N B LU E P R I N T

The ChangingRole of Temps in Nonprofit Staffing

The Competitive Market Series

Trends in Nonprofit Staffing

As the need for nonprofit organizations grows in communi-ties throughout the nation, so does the need for talented, high quality staff. Hiring in the nonprofit sector is forecast to continue its double digit growth. As the fastest-growing part of the U.S. economy, nonprofits now account for more than 10% of all jobs.

Simultaneously, a significant number of nonprofits are still hesitant to add permanent positions to their payroll, according to the PNP Staffing Group 2015-2016 Nonprofit Salaries & Staffing Report. Nonprofit organizations are also looking for ways to make sure that a new hire is a good fit before incurring the cost of onboarding.

Many Executive Directors now find themselves in a position where help is immediately needed, whether it is a staff addition, a replacement, or, extra hands for the busy season of galas, special events and fundraising. Due to the increasingly competitive environment for highly skilled, experienced nonprofit talent and a hiring process that may take months, hiring managers are looking for alternative, complementary solutions to meet staffing needs.

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The Changing Role of Temps in Nonprofit Staffing


Due to the increasingly competitive environment for highly skilled, experienced nonprofit talent and a hiring process that may take months, hiring managers are looking for alternative, complementary solutions to meet staffing needs.


Changing Strategies

Many organizations are increasingly relying on temporary or contract workers. The American Staffing Association reported last December that 3.32 million temporary employees and contractors found work through an employment agency, an increase of 1.8% from 2014.

“Staffing employment continues to grow as the demand for talent increases, and, with 5.4 million job openings in the U.S., there are lots of opportunities for job seekers looking for flexible or permanent positions,” ASA president and CEO Richard Wahlquist noted. Granted, many of the 3.32 million are not serving in the nonprofit sector. However, nonprofit organizations are increasingly utilizing temp and contract workers to fill not only temporary vacancies, but to fill high demand, short term projects such as fundraising event management, data entry, 990 filings and more.

Hiring temps can be very effective. In fact, research shows that not hiring temporary staff when needed can nega-tively affect the bottom line of an organization. The cost of being understaffed is high, in terms of work not being done, lost donor relationships, and lack of service delivery.

Utilization of temp services gives an organization access to skill sets that they may not otherwise be able to readily find, recruit or afford. An experienced temp can fulfill a particular need in fundraising, special events, grants writing, program development, marketing, or administra-tive office support.


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Industrial37%

Temporary Staff Work in Virtually All Occupations

Office–Clerical and Administrative28%

Professional–Managerial13%

Engineering, Information Technology, and Scientific13%

Source: American Staffing Association

Health Care9%

Roles of Nonprofit Temp Staff

Fundraising

Administrative 27%

Senior Management,Financial

23%

Mid-Management,Programs

10%

40%

Source: PNP Staffing Group


Old Perceptions and New Expectations

A study published in August 2016 by the American Staffing Association noted that attitudes and approaches to tempo-rary and contract assignments have changed substantially. Temps no longer carry the “Kelly Girl” image associated with decades past.

For many nonprofits, it is a great way to test a candidate’s cultural fit before making a position permanent. The ASA survey noted that, among those who accepted a temporary job, but for whom a permanent job was their top priority, 99% achieved their objective. Kristy Lewis, Temp Services Manager with PNP Staffing Group, says most of their clients hope that a temp will ultimately become a permanent employee. Almost 95% of PNP’s candidates express a willingness to temp or request the temp process as part of the hiring process.

Temporary and contract employment also gives important flexibility to both employer and employee. This means schedule flexibility as well as shifting on-the-job responsibi-lities, attributes highly valued by Millennials, a rapidly growing segment of the nonprofit workforce. Many non-profit experts prefer contract work because it offers greater opportunities to develop their knowledge and deepen their resume.

Today’s temps not only encompass a full range of profes-sional skill sets and talent, they are not defined in terms of short-time stays. Temps often remain in the position for a year or more. These individuals remain the employees of the provider and consequently do not impact the nonprofit organization’s budget as a payroll cost. Health insurance and other benefits are often picked up by the staffing agency as well.

As more grantor and donor organizations focus on helping nonprofits develop specific programs for a defined length of time, it’s becoming increasingly common for nonprofits to hire temps to pilot initiatives and fulfill specific grant requirements. In some cases, granting organizations even participate in the interview and hiring process.

Hiring temporary and contract staff is an efficient and useful way to bring on added capacity without risk. At best, they bring valuable skill sets and professional nonprofit experience to an organization for short, intermediate and long-term engagements. If the individual does not work well with an organization’s culture and expectations, a change can be easily implemented without the difficulties and complexities involved in terminating a permanent hire.

Experienced nonprofit temporary staffing has become an increasingly important component of successful nonprofit talent management strategies in 2016, and is expected to continue throughout 2017.

Nonprofits should not underestimate the positive advantages of factoring into their plans creative, timely, efficient and effective use of temporary staff to get specific jobs done. Hiring good, capable temporary staff can be a worthwhile component of a successful talent management strategy.


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P U B L I S H E D BY P N P STA F F I N G G RO U P


PNP Staffing Group, founded in 1996 as Professionals for Nonprofits, provides a full suite of staffing services exclusively to the nonprofit, association and social good sector. Specializing in filling positions that are key to the growth of an organization, PNP offers every staffing solution a nonprofit may need – Temps, Temp-to-Hire, Interim Professionals, Direct Hire Search, Executive Search and Consulting Services.

With a dynamic team of experienced recruiters in talent acquisition, PNP has built a reputation for customized staffing and a consistent track record of success. With five offices serving hundreds of nonprofits around the country, PNP is an ideal partner when searching for experienced professionals for your organization or considering your next career move in the nonprofit sector.

the changing role of temps in · executive action blueprint the changing role of temps in...

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