This HR pro is tackling big talent challenges at a local nonprofit

Leading HR at any company hasn’t been a breeze over the last few years, and nonprofit organizations are no exception.

The sector has faced widespread job vacancies since 2021, when the Great Resignation led to rising turnover rates across industries. But Oyin Fadiora, director of people and culture at the Boys & Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore (BGCMB), is taking the challenges of her job in stride.

Fadiora, who joined BGCMB in April 2022, is half of a two-person HR team that supports 75 employees at nine clubs and one administrative office—though she expects her team to grow as the organization expands its footprint in the Baltimore area. She has embarked on several strategies to boost retention and ensure that all employees across the organization’s locations feel they are part of one cohesive team.

Shortly after joining, Fadiora revamped the organization’s hiring strategy, including diversifying its recruiting pools by sourcing candidates and interns from more universities and ensuring consistent hiring practices across locations. So far, she said, the initiative has been a success: The nonprofit’s retention rate rose from 69% in 2022 to 90% in 2023.

One initiative she’s currently focused on is building better connections between staff across locations. She’s created a virtual hub using Microsoft Teams, where employees can share more about themselves and bond in channels about topics like pets and celebrations. She also has the administrative team “cowork” from the organization’s nine club locations, instead of just working out of the administrative office, to encourage more face time with frontline staff.

“Even though we’re a small organization because we are multi-location, we really have to be that much more intentional in bridging that gap however it is that we can,” Fadiora told HR Brew.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What’s the best change you’ve made at a place you’ve worked?

At BGCMB, I identified the need to foster a solution-oriented workforce. Collaborating with the leadership team, I implemented the “What Would ‘Staff Name’ Do” (WWSND) module, which encouraged employees to take ownership of challenges and propose solutions.

I felt like there was a level of empowerment that [we] needed, in order for us to be singing out of the same hymn book…If a staff member comes in and asks me a question that I believe [they] should have an answer for…I’ll ask you, “What would you do? Tell me what you would do.” In case they truly don’t know what the answer is, it’s an opportunity for them to learn and for the leader to teach.

It was a drive to be a more solution-oriented organization. Just getting into the minutiae and getting granular, and really just asking during our one-on-one…come with your questions that empower you, let me remind you that you know how to do that as well.

What’s the biggest misconception people might have about your job?

That human resources can’t be trusted. It’s a generalization, and I understand why, because ultimately everybody feels like HR is representing the organization. “If you’re representing the organization, how can you ultimately have my interests at heart?” However, the way I combat that is that you are the organization. To me, it’s one and the same. Sometimes I have to protect the organization from you, as well as sometimes I have to protect you from the organization. I believe that, and I don’t lie about that.

What trend in HR are you most optimistic about? Why?

I’m most optimistic about the growing trend of employee-centric HR strategies that prioritize the well-being, growth, and satisfaction of employees. This shift in focus from purely administrative tasks to a more holistic and human-centered approach aligns with the needs and expectations of the modern workforce.

Employee-centric HR strategies, such as flexible work arrangements, mental health support, personalized learning and development opportunities, and enhanced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives, have shown to improve employee engagement, retention, and overall productivity.

What trend in HR are you least optimistic about? Why?

In the same breath of being excited about AI, I am also very wary of AI in the HR world.

Overreliance on AI and automation may lead to dehumanizing HR processes, overlooking the unique needs and concerns of individual employees, and inadvertently perpetuating biases present in the data used to train these systems.

While I recognize the potential benefits of technology in HR, I believe it is crucial to strike a balance between leveraging technology to improve efficiency and maintaining the human touch that is vital for effective people management.