‘Everything is going up but your wages remain the same’: Nonprofits struggling to hire and retain workers
A new report from Pillar Nonprofit Network and the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board (EMOWPDB) found local businesses were slightly improving in their recovery over the last year while nonprofits are struggling.
Data collected from the regional EmployerOne Survey in January of this year showed that nonprofits have found it difficult to hire and retain qualified workers.
“The data shows that local nonprofit organizations are having real difficulty offering stable, well-compensated work,” said Paul Seale, manager of Public Policy, Advocacy, and Impact for Pillar Nonprofit Network. “As a major employer and economic driver in our region and a major social driver, a struggling nonprofit sector will likely slow recovery for the whole region.”
The new report found that 65 per cent of nonprofit employers reported much higher rates of employees quitting and permanent layoffs compared to businesses.
In addition, nonprofits found the COVID-19 pandemic and its negative impacts as a factor in retaining workers.
“It's been extremely challenging for recruitment and retention,” said John McVeigh, manager of accommodations with Community Living London, Ont., a nonprofit that assists people with developmental disabilities.
According to McVeigh, the organization lost 30 per cent of its workforce during the pandemic.
“But we’re always looking to grow and expand and there’s a huge wait list of people that needs supports which requires growth in your staff and not just keeping what you have,” he explained.
With less funding coming in, many nonprofit employers are having difficulty offering stable work with a higher salary to new or current employees.
“It's not just our operating costs rising but personal costs. My staff, their rent goes up, their grocery bill goes up, everything is going up,” said Deborah Armstrong, programs director at Nokee Kwe, an indigenous-led employment and education centre. “And yet, our funding remains the same and wages remain the same.”
The executive director for the EMOWPDB hopes this data will show local governments the need for economic recovery in the sector.
“With local unemployment rates at record lows, the region has a very competitive labour market. Any imbalance in organizations’ ability to compete will likely exacerbate current trends,” said Emilian Siman, executive director at EMOWPDB.
“This year’s data suggests that there are organizations in every sector that are challenged to meet their workforce needs, but while more businesses might be reaching that ‘cautious optimism’ stage we associate with pandemic recovery, more nonprofits are reporting real difficulties,” said Siman.
“I think we need to people to understand there needs to be investment in the sector in organizational costs and core costs,” Seale said. “But we’re optimistic.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Calgary police shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers dealt with a distraught individual. The incident lasted almost 20 hours.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.