Less money, big cause: These professionals are happy to do it

Money is what drives most of us to work, whether we like it or not. But it isn’t the only thing that motivates people to work. A big section of employees in the country and the region are willing to take up jobs with non-profit organisations even if that means less money and privileges.

A new survey titled ‘Working for Non-profit Organizations in the Mena,’ by online jobs portal bayt.com  reveals that a majority of Middle East and Africa (Mena) respondents believe that non-profit organisations offer less pay and demand more personal sacrifices, and yet 47.5 per cent of them would “love” to work in the sector. For three quarters of the region’s population, though, job opportunities with non-profits are hard to find.

According to 52.3 per cent of respondents, working with a non-profit organisation means sacrificing more of your health and family time than would be required in other careers. Salaries are also considered to be less attractive than in other sectors, as stated by eight out of 10 (77.9 per cent) respondents, while 75.2 per cent also believe that job security is lower in the sector, too.

People working for non-profit organisations are considered by 60.5 per cent of residents to have fewer opportunities for career growth, while having to endure less benefits and perks on the job (according to 79.3 per cent).

More than half (52.8 per cent) of the polled professionals considered employees of non-profit organisations to be as competitive or even more competitive than their peers in other sectors. All these factors may to large extent explain why 86 per cent of poll respondents believe that turnover is higher in non-profits than anywhere else.

However, despite the aforementioned concerns associated with working for a non-profit organisation, a majority of Mena respondents maintain they would be keen to work for one.

Half (47.5 per cent) would ‘love’ to work at a non-profit, while 41.9 per cent would consider it. Only 5.4 per cent said they would ‘never’ work for a non-profit. For those that would consider working in a non-profit organisation, 88.2 per cent expect to be paid – and 51 per cent maintain they would even expect to receive top market salary for their work.

When it comes to general perceptions vis-à-vis professionals employed in the sector,  employees of non-profit organisations are perceived to be more ‘mission-driven’ by 91.6 per cent of respondents, while eight out of 10 (83.3 per cent) consider them to have more pride in their employers. A good 78.2 per cent even feel that non-profit employees tend to feel more excited about their job.

Opportunities in the sector seem limited however in many parts of the region. For four in 10 respondents (42.8 per cent), there are few opportunities to find employment with a non-profit organisation in their country of residence. A third of the respondents to the poll (31.2 per cent) maintain there are no opportunities in their country of residence, while 26 per cent claim that in their country, there are many.
 

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