HeliaConnects Snapshot: Staffing Decisions Under Pressure
When you've got six months, a new structure, and a lot of unknowns
HeliaConnects brings together social sector leaders to tackle real challenges through peer consultancy. This session focused on building strong board and leadership partnerships.
Peer Consultancy Challenge
My organization recently went through a major transition — we moved from being fiscally sponsored to becoming an independent nonprofit. As part of that, we restructured significantly: eliminating some departments, merging others, changing a lot of roles.
Now I'm responsible for making staffing recommendations: who moves into permanent positions (after six-month temporary roles as part of the shift), whose contracts get extended, and whether roles need to change. My boss is the final decision-maker, but I'm designing the process and making the recommendations.
What's making this hard:
I need her to trust both the process AND the conclusions. We've been in a similar moment before and didn't land in the same place — I made a thoughtful proposal, but when it came to the actual decision, there was a disconnect. I don't want that to happen again.
I'm trying to figure out how to be rigorous and fair in a short window. Three months to evaluate structure, assess people, and make recommendations that will affect everyone's livelihood.
I'm worried about bias creeping in. And about accidentally blending questions of "do we need this role" with "is this person performing well" — those are different things, but they're easy to conflate.
Some roles I genuinely don't know if we need yet. We outsourced some functions but kept internal staff to build systems. Our partners say we're probably overstaffed in some areas, but it's hard to know until things settle.
The whole team is anxious.
What I'm trying to figure out:
How do I design a process that's fair, simple, and defensible — without boiling the ocean?
How do I get aligned with my boss early so we don't end up in different places again?
How do I separate "role design" from "performance" so I'm making clean decisions?
Collective Wisdom
On scoping the work:
Before building an elaborate process, get really clear on what you actually don't know. You might not need a whole extensive evaluation — you might just need answers to a few specific questions. "Do we need one or two people for this function?" is a different kind of question than "Is our whole structure right?"
Document your parameters and assumptions, then get the small group of people involved to review and sign off on them together. Alignment at the start prevents conflict at the end.
On getting aligned with your boss:
Engage your boss early in scenario planning. There are different ways this could play out — you might get clarity on some positions in six months, but others might need more time. Pre-work on whether she'll be okay with extending some contracts so you're not hitting tension at month five.
Surface where things didn't go well last time and name what you're trying to do differently. It might feel vulnerable, but putting it on the table — "we kind of need to acknowledge this because it'll stand in our way otherwise" — clears the path.
Understand what she thinks is off the table that actually might not be. Assumptions about what can't change often go unexamined.
On separating performance from role design:
Have an honest, direct conversation about performance now. Who's actually in a performance management situation? Put them in a different bucket — don't let that get tangled up with evaluating whether roles are needed. If someone needs a performance improvement plan, start that today, because in three months you might be ending their contract anyway.
But be clear about what you actually want. If you put someone on a PIP and they turn it around, but then you eliminate the role — that's messy. Know which situation you're in.
On managing uncertainty:
Leverage outsourcing as a way to manage risk during transitions. You can scale up or down more easily than with full-time staff. It buys you time to figure out what you actually need.
Don't put all the pressure on yourself to get everything perfect in six months. This isn't your only window for change. You can make organizational changes later, manage people out later. The goal is to feel good about this phase — not to solve everything forever.
Get revenue projections from your development team — even rough ones. What's the high, what's the low, what are you targeting? You need to know the size of the gap you're working with.
On the team's anxiety:
Everyone being on contract could actually be used to your advantage. You can frame it as: "We're all in this together. We're all temporary right now. Let's be unselfish and get this organization in the best possible place."
The Key Thing
Get clear — with your boss — on what you already know versus what you still need to figure out. Name the 2-3 specific questions you're actually trying to answer, and align on which ones you'll solve for now and which can wait.
Want To Go Deeper?
Want to be part of conversations like this? Start or join a HeliaConnects group
Want a thought partner on board dynamics? Nina Jacinto, a Helia Collective Member, is a great thought partner for leaders managing complicated People situations. Reach out to her HERE!
Related reading: Helia article, Layoffs 101: How to Do a Shitty Thing in the Least Shitty Way Possible, also by Nina Jacinto, is a helpful guide to infusing dignity into difficult HR decisions.
This Snapshot comes from a HeliaConnects peer consultancy in January 2026. Take what's helpful, leave what's not, and make it your own.
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