Dive Brief:
- Employees at nonprofit organizations say they plan to continue in their careers despite not making as much money as their for-profit counterparts, according to a report from nonprofit Work for Good. The report found that 93% of nonprofit employees are engaged at work — a rate triple the national average.
- Other highlights in the study show that 77% on nonprofit workers are “somewhat” or “highly satisfied” in their current position, even though 52% say they are financially uncomfortable. Over half (58%) of respondents started their careers outside the nonprofit sector.
- Work for Good said 85% of employees who switched from for-profit organizations to nonprofits said they planned to remain in the nonprofit sector for the rest of their careers.
Dive Insight:
Nonprofit organizations typically don't offer the high salaries that corporate for-profit entities do, but their employees often find the work more meaningful, especially when tied to a cause. Though private and for-profit employers may not be working to solve social problems specifically, workers — particularly younger workers — generally expect their employers to be good corporate citizens.
The perception that nonprofits care more about their clients and causes tie directly to a rising trend among employers: the push to create a more empathetic workplace culture, otherwise described as a human-centered approach. A recent report from Businessolver found that 85% of U.S. employees believe that businesses highly underrate empathy.
Other studies show that many employees and job seekers will forego high salaries in exchange for development opportunities and a positive work experiences. For-profit entities can learn from nonprofit organizations — which can be serious contenders for talent — by making their corporate social responsibility efforts more appealing to employees and generally making work feel like it has impact and is appreciated.
