Last year, the Bernard Hodes Group did a study that investigated the workplace motivations of people of color. While the results are geared toward the corporate world, of course they also apply to nonprofits. When you take out the “feel good factor” of working for a good cause, a company is a company is a company. It’s about time that nonprofit employers begin to internalize this information, because it’s timeless, simple, and actionable even in a tough economy. If organizations care about having a racially diverse workforce, it’s essential to tap into the motivations of people of color. Below are some of the key points in the study that nonprofits can use to our advantage:
What makes talented people of color want to work for a company?
- Career opportunities: 29% of people of color versus 20% of whites
- Training: people of color are more likely to value training opportunities than whites
- Brand reputation: people of color weigh corporate reputation more heavily in choosing where to work than whites do
- Compensation: 19% of people of color versus 14% of whites
What makes talented people of color leave a company?
- Expand skill set: 52% of people of color are looking for another job because they want to expand their skill sets, compared with 46% of whites
- Do not feel appreciated: 41% of people of color versus 31 percent of whites. Nearly 30& of people of color say a change in work environment would get them to stay, compared with 23% of whites
Obviously, the information presented above applies to all races in the workplace. We all want the same thing. However, the study shows that people of color value certain things more highly than whites. If I were a recruiter, I would use this information to emphasize those great things about my nonprofit’s reputation, training opportunities, career advancement, and compensation (whichever are most applicable). All things being equal between your nonprofit’s mission and the one next door, the value proposition is key in the recruitment conversation.
But then, many nonprofit leaders will say: We don’t know where to find people of color who want to work for our organization. We’ve tried, and no one applies.
Indeed, a Johns Hopkins study showed that nonprofits have a really hard time recruiting people of color. Why? Because only about a third of the organizations implemented strategies specifically designed to attract people of color. So, it’s clear that if nonprofits want a more racially diverse workforce, we have to do something a little extra. Start by researching where people of color go to look for job openings. The Bernard Hodes study found that:
- 57% of people of color post résumés on corporate sites, compared with 47% of whites
- Online ad: 55% of people of color versus 46% of whites
- Blog: 10% of people of color versus 5% of whites
- Career center at school: 30% and 20%, respectively, for people of color and whites
- Employee referrals: 15% of people of color, who often trust friends’ and relatives’ opinions more than corporate web sites about a potential employer, got jobs because of employee referrals, compared with 11% of whites
So, there you have it. It’s not enough to throw up a job announcement on Idealist.org and call it a day. The research suggests that you should also be posting your job openings on blogs that people of color read. Here are 20 Nonprofit & Philanthropy Blogs Written by People of Color to add to your list of places to spread the word about nonprofit jobs you’d like people of color to apply for. The information we need to involve more people of color in doing the work of social change is out there. All over the internetz. We just have to put it into practice. Even with the economy the way it is, I think nonprofits still have an “edge” in terms of recruiting talented people to help fulfill our missions. People still want to find a way to blend their careers with making meaning in their lives. The conversation about a nonprofit “workforce crisis” depends upon whether we use that edge or squander it.
What are some other ways that nonprofits can recruit talented people of color?
Photo credit: Bankhandler
I’m blogging every single day this month for 31 Days of Giving to celebrate my 27th birthday on December 31 and asking all my friends to donate $27 to benefit the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Washington DC. Will you give? Your gift would really make a difference for young nonprofit leaders in DC!
