Setting the Right People Metrics in Nonprofits

Setting the Right People Metrics in Nonprofits

In nonprofits, we measure a lot of things - dollars raised, programs launched, people served. But what about the people behind it?

Your people are the ones carrying your mission forward. If you don’t measure how they’re doing and experiencing working for your organization, you’re missing the full picture. And you can only manage what you measure.

Here’s why people metrics matter.

1. Your mission depends on people. If your team burns out or leaves, your impact suffers.
2. Resources are limited. Good metrics help you focus your energy where it counts most.
3. Trust grows with transparency. When people see you measure what matters to employees, they feel valued.

Pick a few metrics that give you real insight. Here are some that I have seen work well in nonprofits:

- Engagement: short purlse surveys or check-ins that give people a chance to report on their employee experience
- Retention: who’s staying, who’s leaving, and why.
- Manager support: how often and effectively are supervisors connecting with direct reports and giving feedback.
- Growth & learning: how many people are taking advantage of opportunities to build skills
- Well-being: PTO usage, workload balance, or simple questions about burnout

How to Make Metrics Work

1. Start small. Choose 3-5 things that matter most right now in the life of your organization.
2. Ask your team. Involve staff in deciding what to track.
3. Set a baseline. Know where you’re starting so you can measure progress.
4. Be transparent. Share what you learn and what you’re doing about it.
5. Adjust as you grow. Your metrics should shift with your organization’s needs.

Pitfalls to avoid:

- Tracking too much and losing focus, or tracking the wrong things.
- Measuring only outputs (like hours worked) but ignoring experience (like burnout).
- Setting metrics just for the sake of it (or because your board asked you to) and not using it to inform decisions.
- Collecting data but never sharing it back.

People metrics aren’t about creating extra dashboards and work for your leaders. They’re about paying attention to what really matters - your team’s health, growth, and experience.

When your people feel valued and supported, your mission thrives. And remember, people matter most!