The burden of care: Addressing challenges in employment in the nonprofit sector – new report by Steven Ayer on Charity/NPO sector employment

Did you know that Canadian charities spent in 2021 about $177 billion on salaries and other compensation expenditures, according to our Blumbergs Canadian Charity Sector Snapshot 2021? With millions of people working for the charity sector, it cannot be understated how important it is that these staff are treated well, productive, satisfied, etc. Otherwise, not only are charities going to be less effective but also about 10% of the population will suffer.

Steven Ayer has recently put out a report in partnership with the Future Skills Centre, the Environics Institute for Survey Research, and the Diversity Institute. It shows, perhaps unsurprisingly, low job satisfaction in the nonprofit sector.

Here is more information on the findings:

The Burden of Care: Addressing Challenges in Employment in the Nonprofit Sector explores the challenges for workers in the nonprofit sector as well as topics like working from home, skills, and training.

As detailed in the press release I’ve attached, this report represents a first-of-its-kind focused investigation into job satisfaction and various other working conditions within the nonprofit sector, compared to the broader workforce, as well as precarious labour conditions in the sector. It also highlights issues of diversity, discrimination, training, and skills in the sector.

I’ve shared some of the top findings below, but you can see more details in the press release or by looking at the report website here:

1. Low Job Satisfaction in the Nonprofit Sector: Workers in the nonprofit sector reported lower job satisfaction than their public and private sector counterparts. A notable 26% of nonprofit sector employees expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs, surpassing the 19% in the private sector and 17% in the public sector.
   
2. Critical Demographic Disparities in Job Satisfaction: Job satisfaction within the nonprofit sector shows significant disparities among various demographic groups. Notably, 31% of women in the nonprofit sector report being unsatisfied with their jobs, compared to 18% of men. Furthermore, 34% of workers aged 18 to 24 are unsatisfied, as are 35% of workers aged 25 to 34. Being unsatisfied with their job was also true of 34% of first-generation Canadians and a striking 40% of those with disabilities that significantly limit their daily activities.
   
3. Service Workers the Least Satisfied: Job satisfaction in the nonprofit sector varies by occupation. Service workers in the nonprofit sector report the lowest job satisfaction, with 41% expressing dissatisfaction with their jobs. In contrast, managers within the nonprofit sector are the most satisfied, with only 15% reporting job dissatisfaction.
   
4. Precarious Employment Common: Nonprofit sector workers are more likely to face job insecurity, with 27% considering their jobs as temporary, compared to 13% in the private sector and 17% in the public sector. Additionally, part-time employment is more prevalent in the nonprofit sector, where 34% of workers are part-time compared to 18% in the private sector.
   
5. Income Inadequacy: Nearly three in ten (29%) nonprofit sector workers reported inadequate household income, highlighting challenges in meeting basic needs. This issue is not limited to the nonprofit sector, as 29% of private sector workers and 20% of public sector workers face similar challenges.
   
6. Diversity and Discrimination: The nonprofit sector has a diverse workforce, employing more women, individuals under 35, racialized individuals, Indigenous people, and those with disabilities compared to other sectors. However, nonprofit sector workers reported higher incidents of discrimination and unfair treatment at work, especially among those with disabilities and racialized individuals.
   
7. Remote Work Preferences: The pandemic has made working from home the new normal for many nonprofit sector employees, with half working remotely at least part of the time. Most of those working from home prefer this arrangement and wish to continue.
   
8. Emphasis on Collaboration: Collaborative skills are paramount among nonprofit sector workers. They consistently identify collaborative skills as the most crucial aspect for career success, significantly surpassing the emphasis on these skills in other sectors. Additionally, nonprofit sector employees recognize the value of leadership, communication, technical skills, and adaptability as areas to improve to excel in their roles.

By Mark Blumberg, Blumbergs Professional Corporation

• About
• Latest Posts

Occasional Contributors

In addition to our regular guest bloggers, First Reference Talks blog published by First Reference, provides occasional guest post opportunities from various subject matter experts on the topics of human resources, employment/labour law, internal controls, information technology, not-for-profit, business, privacy, tax, finance and accounting, and accessibility in Canada among others. If you are a subject matter expert and would like to become an occasional blogger, please contact us. If you liked this post, subscribe to First Reference Talks blog to get regular updates.

Latest posts by Occasional Contributors (see all)

• Ebert vs His Majesty the King – procedural decision by FCA relating to donation of wine to a registered charity and valuation - May 7, 2024
• To what extent can the special provisions of an Ontario non-profit charitable organization be used to give another group approval rights? - April 26, 2024
• CRA recently updated their Basic Guidelines Checklist for registered charities - March 5, 2024