What can the social sector offer young workers in 2020?
With not-for-profits facing competition for young workers & the job market hit by COVID, Elliot Bidgood comments on how charities can position themselves.
At the EP Foundation’s first Future of Work event back in January, I was particularly struck by remarks from NCVO chief executive Karl Wilding about the expectations of young workers. He commented that members of Generation Y and Z often aspire to do social good in their working life, but may be becoming more “sector agnostic” as corporates like Nike move to position themselves as “campaigning companies”. Tracy Gyateng of DataKind concurred that the social sector couldn’t just “tug at the heartstrings” to compete for staff, given the pay differentials between private and not-for-profit and the real cost of living challenges people face.
This year has changed everything
2020 has since unfolded in ways few of us could have imagined back then, with COVID-19 and the heightened profile of Black Lives Matter used by many large companies to further bolster their social credentials through ‘brand activism’. This can and should be subject to scrutiny about ‘wokewashing’ and the like (particularly on BLM, in light of some firms’ own records on diversity and racial justice), but COVID-19 may be a different matter. It does seem fair to suggest that those who have kept Britain’s supermarket supply chains running have been just as much a part of the pandemic response as many of those serving in not-for-profit organisations, for example, and their donations to foodbanks and accommodations for vulnerable customers and NHS staff will have earned them much goodwill.
Moreover, while coronavirus has turned the entire economy upside down, the not-for-profit sector is particularly vulnerable. Private sector profits are directly tied to customer numbers, so while the hospitality industry has been savaged, a Zoom or an Amazon can still thrive in the current environment. For not-for-profits, demand and funding have essentially been inversely correlated – loss of income and job insecurity have coincided with exploding social need and increased strain on the beleaguered staff that remain. Pro Bono Economics estimated that 25,000 charity jobs have already been lost, which could stand at 60,000 by the end of the year. Major names like the NCVO, St John Ambulance and the Alzheimer’s Society have had to be frank about their financial outlooks and the steps they are taking. This means less experienced young people hoping to get on the sector’s career ladder will face fierce competition for new job vacancies, and that charities may struggle to promise stability or pay progression even for those who do fight their way in.
What can the social sector do?
On the surface, this could make a stable corporate with a dab of progressive branding seem like a much more promising career choice for a socially-conscious person entering the job market right now. So what is the best way forward for the sector, and for those it might hope to employ?
First of all, for people of all ages and backgrounds hoping for a career move into the charity sector, volunteering is often a vital step. There is still a great need for volunteers in the sector, both due to coronavirus and to the array of social problems Britain faced long before it. That demand can only grow as formal jobs in the sector are squeezed (though charities have a responsibility to ensure that this does not lead to volunteers being exploited or taking on more responsibility than is reasonable). Charities should structure volunteering to make sure that they offer meaningful experiences for young people, and perhaps even use it as a way to talent-spot potential staff when junior vacancies arise in their core team.
Second, not-for-profits need to up their game on racial equality. This is a whole topic in itself, and one that rightly draws comment from people more qualified to do so than me, but figures show the social sector is unrepresentative of the country it seeks to serve. In 2018 ACEVO found that only 9% of voluntary sector employees were from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, less than in the private and public sectors (both 11%) and the general population (14%). If part of the sell to prospective employees is the sector’s values, it has to actually live them, and make sure it includes the talents of a young Britain that is getting ever-more diverse.
Finally, the sector should emphasise what it can offer workers on culture and conditions. If it can’t always compete with private sector pay scales, the social sector must at least be able to say that its workplaces are healthier, more supportive and more flexible – genuinely social, put simply. When thinking about new and young workers in particular, an area to be aware of is homeworking. For those who are well-established in a team or have a spacious and comfortable living situation, 2020’s mass-shift to working from home can be a perk of the job, but for a twentysomething in a small flatshare or anyone trying to find their feet in a newly-adopted organisation, the experience can be very different. Thoughtful support or opportunities for these people to return to physical working (if possible) will be vital to ensure the homeworking trend fits with the sector’s aspiration to be a place of good work.
A strong social sector is vital for a vibrant, fair and just society, and COVID-19 has created fresh challenges. But the above steps - and more - are crucial if charities are to be able to attract the bright young staff they will need to keep performing their vital functions in the future.
Elliot Bidgood works as communications manager for the Eastside Primetimers Foundation