Running a charity means looking after the people who make it all happen, which is your team.

Whether you’re leading a small group or managing a growing nonprofit, how you handle your staff and volunteers can shape your charity’s future.

If you’re part of a charity or running one, this article will share five practical tips that hr advice for charities will help you support and grow your team effectively.

1. Be Thoughtful About Who You Hire

Hiring is just as vital to find someone who cares about what your charity stands for. When people connect with your mission, they will stick around, work with purpose, and give their best. When bringing someone new on board, be clear about what the role involves and what kind of support they’ll get.

Whether it’s a paid role or a volunteer position, give an idea of what they’re signing up for. A well-written role helps you attract people who are the right fit for your team’s values. When you interview, ask questions that help you know what drives them and if they love your cause.

2. Make Onboarding Simple but Strong

When someone new joins, whether they’re staff or volunteers, they need a warm and clear welcome. Start by introducing them to your charity’s values and the basic policies everyone should know. Even a simple one-hour orientation can give volunteers the confidence they need. When people understand how things work, who to talk to, and what’s expected, they feel more settled and ready to get started.

3. Keep Supporting People With Ongoing Learning

Even if your budget is tight, try to offer learning opportunities, like free online workshops, mentoring sessions, or even swapping skills between team members. When you take the time to ask how things are going, listen to concerns, and talk openly, it shows you care. In addition to that, people are more likely to grow into bigger roles or take on new challenges, which helps your organisation move forward.

4. Know the Legal Things and Stay Up-to-Date

Making sure you’re doing things properly protects your charity from problems down the track and helps build a fair, respectful workplace. Keep your policies fresh and easy to understand, and ensure anyone in charge knows their responsibilities. If something tricky comes up, get help sooner rather than later. Reaching out to an HR advice hotline for employers, especially one that knows charity HR requirements, can save you a lot of stress.

5. Create a Supportive and Welcoming Culture

Make sure that you will celebrate milestones, say thank you, and ask for ideas, because doing these little things can help you change how individuals feel about coming to work or volunteering. In addition to that, you should think about how diverse your team is and how open your space feels to people from all backgrounds. Review how you recruit and whether your environment supports everyone fairly.

Let Individuals Be Part of the Heart of Your Mission

Take note that a charity can have the best goals in the world, but it’s the individuals who bring those goals to life. When you focus on looking after your team, both staff and volunteers, you’re setting your organisation up for long-term success. These five essential HR tips are about building trust, encouraging growth, and making sure everyone feels like they belong and have something valuable to give.

So even if you’re juggling limited time and funds, you should take the time to check in on your HR practices. Think about how you’re hiring, how you welcome individuals in, how you support their growth, and how you keep your workplace fair and respectful. On top of that, when your people feel good, your charity becomes stronger, and that means you can help even more people in return.