• Friday, February 10, 2012
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What Drives Nonprofit Employees

Reasons for Taking Their Jobs
Note: Respondents were asked to choose which of two motivations was more important.
  Nonprofit organizations For-profit organizations Federal government
Job security 34% 71% 65%
Helping the public 60% 20% 32%
Don't know/refused to answer 6% 9% 3%
Salary and benefits 34% 72% 69%
Chance to make a difference 61% 22% 27%
Don't know/refused to answer 5% 5% 4%
Doing something worthwhile 65% 28% 37%
Having a secure paycheck 30% 68% 59%
Don't know/refused to answer 5% 5% 4%
Pride in the organization 52% 36% 29%
Job security 39% 57% 66%
Don't know/refused to answer 9% 7% 4%
Job Satisfaction
  Nonprofit organizations For-profit organizations Federal government
How satisfied are you with your job overall?
Very satisfied 58% 44% 49%
Somewhat satisfied 37% 46% 40%
Not too satisfied 4% 7% 7%
Not satisfied at all 1% 4% 3%
Don't know/refused to answer 0% 0% 0%
How satisfied are you with your salary?
Very satisfied 24% 29% 35%
Somewhat satisfied 53% 50% 52%
Not too satisfied 16% 12% 7%
Not satisfied at all 7% 9% 5%
Don't know/refused to answer 0% 1% 0%
How satisfied are you with your job security?
Very satisfied 61% 51% 66%
Somewhat satisfied 32% 37% 28%
Not too satisfied 4% 6% 3%
Not satisfied at all 3% 5% 2%
Don't know/refused to answer 0% 1% 0%
How satisfied are you with your job benefits?
Very satisfied 50% 46% 66%
Somewhat satisfied 33% 31% 28%
Not too satisfied 8% 11% 3%
Not satisfied at all 7% 11% 2%
Don't know/refused to answer 2% 1% 0%
Attitudes About Co-Workers
  Nonprofit organizations For-profit organizations Federal government
To what extent are your co-workers competitive with each other?
Great extent 11% 24% 23%
Somewhat 33% 37% 44%
Not too much 30% 22% 21%
Not at all 21% 13% 11%
Don't know/refused to answer 5% 4% 2%
To what extent are your co-workers open to new ideas?
Great extent 46% 36% 33%
Somewhat 43% 48% 49%
Not too much 8% 11% 12%
Not at all 1% 4% 5%
Don't know/refused to answer 1% 2% 0%
To what extent are your co-workers willing to help other employees learn new skills?
Great extent 67% 51% 52%
Somewhat 26% 33% 36%
Not too much 4% 10% 8%
Not at all 1% 3% 4%
Don't know/refused to answer 1% 3% 0%
To what extent are your co-workers concerned about achieving your organization's mission?
Great extent 72% 56% 63%
Somewhat 23% 31% 28%
Not too much 3% 8% 5%
Not at all 1% 3% 3%
Don't know/refused to answer 1% 2% 1%
Competency of Managers and Co-Workers
  Nonprofit organizations For-profit organizations Federal government
How competent are the senior people who run your organization?%
Very competent n/a 52% 37%
Somewhat competent n/a 37% 46%
Not too competent n/a 6% 13%
Not competent at all n/a 3% 4%
Don't know/refused to answer n/a 2% 0%
How competent is the board of your organization?
Very competent 47% n/a n/a
Somewhat competent 40% n/a n/a
Not too competent 8% n/a n/a
Not competent at all 2% n/a n/a
Don't know/refused to answer 3% n/a n/a
How competent is the executive director of your organization?
Very competent 59% n/a n/a
Somewhat competent 31% n/a n/a
Not too competent 4% n/a n/a
Not competent at all 2% n/a n/a
Don't know/refused to answer 5% n/a n/a
How competent are the middle-level employees at your organization?
Very competent 45% 37% 40%
Somewhat competent 46% 51% 52%
Not too competent 5% 5% 4%
Not competent at all 1% 2% 2%
Don't know/refused to answer 2% 5% 3%
How competent are the lower-level employees at your organization?
Very competent 34% 25% 29%
Somewhat competent 54% 53% 56%
Not too competent 7% 11% 8%
Not competent at all 1% 4% 3%
Don't know/refused to answer 4% 7% 3%
Resources and Training
  Nonprofit organizations For-profit organizations Federal government
To what extent does your organization have the information it needs?
Always 40% 51% 40%
Often 39% 28% 34%
Sometimes 18% 17% 22%
Rarely 2% 3% 3%
Don't know/refused to answer 1% 0% 0%
To what extent does your organization have the technological equipment it needs?
Always 37% 45% 36%
Often 34% 31% 34%
Sometimes 24% 19% 24%
Rarely 4% 5% 6%
Don't know/refused to answer 1% 0% 0%
To what extent does your organization have enough employees?
Always 21% 28% 15%
Often 35% 33% 25%
Sometimes 32% 28% 34%
Rarely 11% 11% 25%
Don't know/refused to answer 1% 0% 1%
To what extent does your organization have access to the training it needs?
Always 32% 40% 30%
Often 36% 28% 30%
Sometimes 25% 22% 29%
Rarely 6% 9% 11%
Don't know/refused to answer 1% 1% 0%
Overall Perceptions of Non-profit Organizations
  Nonprofit organizations For-profit organizations Federal government
How good a job does your organization do running its programs and services?
Very good 56% 44% 41%
Somewhat good 39% 47% 48%
Not too good 3% 6% 9%
Not good at all 1% 1% 2%
Don't know/refused to answer 1% 2% 1%
How good a job does your organization do helping people?
Very good 73% 51% 51%
Somewhat good 24% 38% 38%
Not too good 2% 6% 8%
Not good at all 1% 3% 3%
Don't know/refused to answer 1% 2% 1%
How good a job does your organization do being fair in its decisions?
Very good 45% 36% 29%
Somewhat good 47% 51% 55%
Not too good 6% 9% 13%
Not good at all 1% 2% 3%
Don't know/refused to answer 1% 1% 1%
How good a job does your organization do spending its money wisely?
Very good 44% 36% 22%
Somewhat good 38% 41% 43%
Not too good 11% 13% 22%
Not good at all 4% 6% 11%
Don't know/refused to answer 2% 4% 2%
n/a Not applicable.
SOURCE: Brookings Institution and Priceton Survey Research Associates