Not for profit KPIs that drive better recruitment outcomes

In the ever-evolving landscape of public sector recruitment, how can we measure the true impact of our initiatives? Recruitment in the not-for-profit sector is about more than just hiring, it’s about finding purpose-aligned, high-performing people who will drive impact.

In this article, we explore the key not for profit KPIs that help measure recruitment effectiveness, enhance decision-making, and support sustainable workforce planning across the care sector.

Why measuring KPIs matters in NFP recruitment

In not-for-profit organisations, particularly in aged care, disability support, and community services, recruitment has far-reaching consequences. You’re hiring to fill vacancies while shaping the experience of your clients and service recipients.

Many organisations struggle with inconsistent recruitment results, high turnover, or unclear indicators of what success looks like. This makes it harder to secure funding, meet compliance expectations, and retain top talent.

This is where recruitment KPIs become essential. They provide clear, data-backed insights that help you assess what’s working, where improvements are needed, and how your people strategy is supporting your mission.

Key not for profit KPIs to track recruitment success

Here are some of the most important recruitment KPIs to monitor in your not-for-profit organisation:

• Time-to-fill: Measures the number of days from job posting to candidate acceptance.

• Cost-per-hire: Total recruitment costs including advertising, agency fees, onboarding, and HR time.

• Retention rate (6-month and 12-month): Percentage of new hires still employed after 6 and 12 months.

• Candidate experience: Feedback from applicants on their recruitment process experience.

• Quality of hire: Performance reviews and supervisor feedback on new employee effectiveness.

• Diversity metrics: Tracking gender, cultural background, age, disability, and other diversity factors.

• Source of hire: Identifies which recruitment channels yield the best hires.

• Offer acceptance rate: Percentage of candidates who accept job offers.

• Time-to-productivity: How long it takes a new hire to reach full performance.

• Application completion rate: Percentage of candidates who complete the job application once started.

• Hiring manager satisfaction: Survey feedback from managers on recruitment quality and process.

• Candidate drop-off rate: Percentage of candidates who withdraw during the recruitment process.

• Interview-to-offer ratio: Number of interviews conducted per job offer made.

• New hire turnover rate: Percentage of new hires leaving within their first year.

• Internal hire rate: Proportion of vacancies filled by existing employees.

• Time in recruitment stages: Average time candidates spend in each step of the hiring process.

• Recruitment funnel conversion rate: Percentage of candidates moving from one recruitment stage to the next.

• Recruitment source ROI: Return on investment for each recruitment channel.

• Candidate diversity at each stage: Diversity breakdown of candidates progressing through recruitment stages.

• Background check pass rate: Percentage of candidates passing reference and background checks.

• Compliance rate: Percentage of hires meeting regulatory and sector compliance requirements.

• Hiring forecast accuracy: Accuracy of recruitment plans versus actual hires.

• Time-to-offer: Average time from interview to offer extended.

• Employee referral rate: Percentage of hires coming from employee referrals.

• Recruitment agency performance: Evaluation of agency effectiveness based on placements and retention.

• Training completion rate for new hires: Percentage of new employees completing mandatory onboarding/training.

• Candidate net promoter score (NPS): Measures likelihood of candidates recommending your organisation’s hiring process.

Why these KPIs are especially relevant to the NFP and care sectors

The not-for-profit workforce is often under unique pressures: compliance-heavy environments, limited budgets, and roles that require both technical skill and deep empathy.

That’s why the right KPIs don’t just track volume, they reveal quality, values alignment, and long-term fit. In care-driven sectors, the impact of a strong hire is amplified: better client outcomes, stronger team morale, and improved organisational reputation.

According to the Australian HR Institute, 49% of NFPs struggle to attract skilled candidates. Without tracking KPIs, it’s almost impossible to know how to change this.

How Anson can support your KPI strategy

At Anson Management Consulting, we help not-for-profits establish the right recruitment KPIs based on their size, services, and sector-specific challenges. Our team brings decades of experience in workforce planning and people strategy across aged care, disability, and broader NFP services.

We work with you to define success, develop practical dashboards, and build capability in interpreting and acting on data. Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining your approach, we’ll help you get clarity.

Summary: Recruitment KPIs every NFP should track

• Track time-to-fill and cost-per-hire to manage efficiency and resource use.

• Measure quality of hire and retention to ensure long-term value.

• Monitor diversity and candidate experience to support equity and brand.

• Use source of hire to improve targeting and campaign ROI.

Frequently asked questions

1. What’s the best KPI for small NFPs just starting to measure recruitment?

   Start with time-to-fill and retention rates. They’re simple to track and offer clear insight into how effective your process is.

2. How do we measure quality of hire in a meaningful way?

   Use post-hire performance reviews, cultural fit assessments, and team feedback to evaluate early success. Define what “quality” means for your specific roles.

3. Why do we need diversity metrics if we already have inclusive values?

   Measuring diversity helps ensure your recruitment practices are delivering on those values, and helps identify any hidden barriers in your hiring process.

Ready to build a smarter recruitment process?

When you track the right not for profit KPIs, you gain control, visibility, and the confidence to improve. Contact us today and let us help you develop meaningful, values-led hiring strategies that support your mission and people.