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Article Conscious Inclusion 2 min read

Daily Buzz: The Path to a More Diverse Nonprofit

Breaking down unnecessary barriers to recruitment will serve your organization. Also: An empathetic leader can build relationships and help employees grow.

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Looking to diversify your nonprofit? Your organization’s recruiters, HR executives, and leaders must be more intentional in their diversity efforts, argues Lisa Magill on the Nonprofit Hub blog  (opens in a new tab).

“In order to see a meaningful shift, we need to evaluate our current processes and be open to changing the way our teams are currently filling roles,” she says.

Take a look at your job descriptions: Is every listed requirement necessary? Make sure you’re not overstating the level of experience needed to excel in the role, such as required degrees or number of years of experience. Discouraging qualified candidates from applying at all will prevent you from seeing a wider range of individuals.

When recruiting, make an effort to look outside your personal network, which might only consist of similar individuals.

“Nonprofit roles are often filled by word-of-mouth, allowing the homogeneity of social circles to directly impact the potential diversity across candidates,” Magill says. “In order to increase diversity within your organization, you must look beyond personal networks and strategically leverage a broader list of resources and job boards.”

Additionally, your diversity efforts will improve if you also focus on current employees.

“Their day-to-day experiences, how satisfied they are in their work, and whether they feel empowered in their role will directly impact not only retention and productivity but also your ability to attract new talent,” Magill says.

Embracing Empathy in Leadership

Showing more empathy at work is a growing trend among young professionals, but what does it do for an organization? Empathy keeps a workforce steady when things go wrong and employees make mistakes.

“Instead of jumping to conclusions and scolding your employee, get behind the why,” says a recent post  (opens in a new tab) from Entrepreneur. “An empathetic leader will check in on their employee and facilitate problem solving, as opposed to reacting.”

Other Links of Note

Marketing automation can streamline your efforts and make you more efficient, argues HubSpot’s Rebecca Riserbato  (opens in a new tab). She breaks down the benefits of automation.

What are hiring managers looking for in remote job candidates? Business Insider’s May Teng identifies three important skills  (opens in a new tab).

Planning a membership drive? YourMembership’s Tirrah Switzer offers six tips  (opens in a new tab) to make it a successful one.

(CreativeNature_nl/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Michael Hickey

Michael Hickey is a contributor to Associations Now.

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Tags: #age inclusion #biodiversity #Business #job recruitment

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