Human resource managers in the non-profit sector are struggling with an alarming rate of employee turnover. Unfortunately, studies indicate that non-profit human resource managers still hold beliefs about recruiting and managing employees that have proven to be inaccurate.

OLD BELIEFS: 

• Pay is too low - Studies now indicate that non-profit pay is comparable to government and for-profit case worker pay.
    
• Non-profit tends to hire lesser qualified candidates because of institutional low self-esteem- Apparently, nothing could be further from the truth. Non-profits, because of budget restrictions, tend to be pickier when they hire because they seek case workers they deem potentially more productive.
    
• Sub-standard working conditions - Case workers leave non-profit because resources are scarce. - This is only true for the naive. Resources are scarce everywhere in social services. Professional case workers know this.
    
• Little opportunity for advancement - True - However studies show that advancement from case work to administration is on the wish list of relativity few non-profit employees.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

Studies indicate that the high turnover rate in the non-profit sector is caused by the following:

• Burnout - Too often non-profits envision a vast mission but put inadequate human resources behind it. This leads to burnout on the part of the faithful employees who buy into the mission.
    
•  Absence of Congruence - Rarely motivated by money only, non-profit employees are there for the mission. However, ending world hunger or cleaning the planet's oceans are big challenges that must be conquered one sure step at a time. When non-profit employees don't reach a minimum level of expectations, they tend to accuse the management of political motivation, self-serving goals, or downright corruption.
    
• Organizational Commitment - When non-profit employees sense that the organization is not as committed to the mission as they are, they quit and go elsewhere.    

When human resource managers in the non-profit sector realize how unique their case workers are in their desire to serve their fellow man, they will focus on creating an institutional culture that will retain them.