How Can We Create a Competitive HR Strategy in Not-for-Profit Organizations?

Hi everyone,

When it comes to not-for-profit organizations, the entire concept of human resources changes! There are no total-reward systems, no incentives, and positions are faithfully occupied by non-productive people!

I'd like you all to comment on how, under such an environment, a competitive and productive strategy can be formulated.

Regards,
Adnan A Khan.

Hey friend,

I don't know how much you know about non-profit organizations, but the scenario you have put forward is not fully justifiable.

The NGOs working in India have much money generation rather than the money-oriented firms. It depends on which problem they are helping out with.

The aspect you mentioned is that a HRM department working for a non-profit organization has a very different monetary aspect compared to profit-oriented organizations.

I should not reveal this, but I will give you an example. One of the well-known NGOs helped out the tsunami victims with blankets and monetary help. They showed that they had received good money and other accessories for the needy and had dispatched them to the tsunami victims. However, internally many things happened.

The department that handles the money and other aspects of this ate away much of the money, and the records maintained were quite different from what was issued. You won't believe it, but the HR department earns an equal share to that of the accounts department (I was referring to the big non-profit organizations).

Indian people have lots of black money which they put into these NGOs and claim that they are serving the nation. However, in the internal aspects, the person giving the money and the person taking the money for the well-being of society are becoming rich, not the needy.

These may be small aspects, but there are large money transactions done at a higher level. Look, I can tell you about this, but can we make any changes for that? Not at all. We have all become materialistic.

So, NEVER SAY THAT HRM IN A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DOESN'T HAVE MUCH SCOPE. THEY HAVE MUCH SCOPE AND A LONGER LIFE THAN A PROFIT-ORIENTED ORGANIZATION'S HRM DEPARTMENT.

Dear Sandeep,

Thank you for your reply; it was informative. The issue I am trying to raise, however, is different. I am talking about all public sector organizations that are working as 'not-for-profit' - the department of police, the military organizations, the service departments of the government, United Nations, there are so many examples.

Now, keeping in view the working environment of these organizations, I must say that trying to bring a change in these types of organizations is quite difficult! It's because you can't find the motive or means to motivate people, to let the people absorb the change. They are so frozen that Kurt Lewin's unfreezing just cannot take place!

My question again is, how do we begin to shift an organization from a culture of authoritarianism to one of progression and output? How do we empower the people in such a scenario?

Adnan.

Dear Adnan,

I am really ashamed and sorry to say that we can't change organizations such as a Police dept or any government offices, and others you may have mentioned just like that. They are not acting on their own also. There are also a lot of external forces that may prevent an Honest Police Officer from doing his job.

A government employee who wants to help a Senior Person for his/her pension funds can't just issue the same. There are lots of processes to be followed. And sometimes (Very shame on us), when the employee is really trying to help the person, because of such factors when it gets delayed, we may be scolding, cursing him, or trying to bribe him.

Don't you think these actions will actually demotivate such honest persons? It will...

The fault is on our side also. How many times have we stopped before the stop line at a signal? Even in a temple queue, we won't stand patiently.

If we want to see such organizations perform well, then the change should happen in the overall society.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Regards,

Vasanth

99401 58323

Hi,

The issue you have mentioned is different from the one you had raised initially. There is a lot of difference between the first question and the next question.

For the second question, the answer is that employees working in the public sector have better knowledge than those in the private sector. However, they lack influential bosses for career growth.

In the public sector, employees have two main things in mind: job security - once they secure a job, it's challenging for the employer/supervisor to remove them, and consistent payment of salary and other benefits regardless of their performance.

Although the departments in the public sector may follow outdated processes, the responsibility for change lies with the government rather than the employees working there.

Goodbye,

Sandeep
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