2020 taught business leaders many lessons, top of which is that the future of work is closer than they anticipated. Organizations of all sizes were forced to innovate their day-to-day workflow in an effort to keep up with company-wide strategies and goals. From embracing remote work to shifting five-year business plans, nonprofits have had to face all of these same challenges. While our missions may serve a larger good in the world, we are not immune to the business hardships organizations of all sizes faced in the last year.

Given the oftentimes smaller staff size and fundraising funnels, nonprofits have less cushion to fall back on and more to benefit from when it comes to embracing the future of work as a means of growth.

Our team at the Rutgers Institute for Corporate Social Innovation published the report "An Unprecedented Opportunity for Corporate Social Innovation: The Future of Work and Covid-19" at the end of 2020. Within it, we explored the gaps that 2020 has helped carve — all opportunities for nonprofit leaders to fill with forwarding motion and innovation for their mission-led organizations. Based on what we learned, here are some best practices and strategies for nonprofit leaders on staying agile as we enter the future of work.

  • Focus on educating tomorrow’s workforce.
  • Make reskilling for the long term a priority.
  • Show your staff mental health matters.
  • Continue to prioritize sustainability and the environment. 
  • Embrace long-term strategies with DEI.

Read the full article about helping nonprofits thrive in the future workforce by Noa Gafni at Forbes.