Non-profits are now more digitally savvy than ever before and as a result, there has been an increase in the number of non-profit employees who work remotely from home offices or coffee shops. There’s no longer a need to be sitting in a cubicle when you can work from anywhere at anytime. This has also led to a rise in non-traditional roles within the world of non-profits. Many workers now serve as contractors instead of long term employees which means that there is even more pressure on non-profits to have streamlined processes and technology in place so that their workers can get the files they need quickly and easily.
Don’t be afraid of change – embrace it!
Any business will go through changes as time goes by, it’s just part of growth and evolution. However, it’s important to be cautious when it comes to technology because it’s incredibly easy to get caught up in the hype and fall into the trap of trying to implement technologies that aren’t right for your organization or even worse, investing in the wrong technology that doesn’t work for your team members. When you’re first getting started, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. First and foremost, take some time to evaluate your organization’s needs. What does your team need in order to be successful?
Technology for non-profits should be about more than just efficiency
Technology is obviously incredibly important to non-profits because it can help to streamline operations and increase efficiency. But it’s important to also think about other ways technology can bring value to your organization as a whole. For example, team communication is essential in every organization but it’s even more critical in non-profits because you don’t have the same level of oversight as you might in a for-profit company. Whether you’re using an internal messaging tool or a collaboration platform, communication can make the difference between non-profits that are successful and those that are unsuccessful.
Invest in the right tools for your employees
When you’re investing in the right technology for your non-profit employees, it’s important to look at big picture items as well as small details. For example, is your organization able to send and receive secure emails? If not, how does that affect your employees’ ability to do their jobs? Or if you’re using a collaboration platform, is it designed specifically for non-profits so that it meets your organization’s needs? How you choose to implement technology into your organization also has a lot to do with culture. For example, if your organization has remote workers, it’s essential to choose the right communication tools so that they have the same access to information as their office-based peers.
Keep the human factor in mind
Technology is great, but it can only do so much. There’s no point in rushing out and investing in the most advanced software in the world if it’s not something your team members know how to use or your non-profit organization has the capacity to administer. Once you’ve chosen the right technologies for your organization, it’s also important to make sure your team members have the capacity to use them. If you’ve implemented an internal messaging tool, are your team members trained on how to use it? If you’ve chosen a collaboration platform, does your non-profit have the resources to administrate it?
Wrap Up
Technology can be incredibly transformative for non-profits, especially when it comes to streamlining operations and increasing efficiency. When you’re choosing the right technologies for your organization, it’s important to keep the human factor in mind. Technology can only do so much so make sure your team members have the capacity to use the tools you’ve implemented.
