How charities can strengthen talent pipelines in 2026

In 2026, UK charities continue to deliver essential services, but rising demand and ongoing financial pressures are creating challenges for workforce recruitment and retention. Attracting and keeping skilled staff has become a strategic priority, as traditional recruitment approaches often struggle to meet sector needs.

Strengthening talent pipelines, the systems and strategies that bring people into and support them through an organisation is crucial. Structured pipelines improve recruitment efficiency and reduce burnout, manage risk, and create opportunities for growth and impact.

By investing in people strategy in 2026, charities can build resilient teams capable of sustaining their mission, adapting to sector pressures, and delivering lasting value to the communities they serve.

UK charities are facing a talent challenge that can no longer be ignored. Workforce issues are not isolated, they are reshaping the way the sector operates.

Specialist skills shortages are deepening, particularly for technical roles such as digital, fundraising operations, and data analytics. Many organisations struggle to attract high‑quality candidates for these functions.

Rising employment costs, including increased National Insurance contributions and broader labour expenses, have forced some charities to pause non‑critical recruitment or rethink workforce plans to balance costs. This has been seen widely across sectors facing cost pressures.

Despite ongoing pressures, the charity sector remains resilient. In 2026, net income continues to grow, and charity registrations remain strong, reflecting the sector’s sustained activity and impact. To address rising service demand and strengthen regulatory oversight, the Charity Commission has launched a major recruitment drive, adding new staff, and is investing in technology to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency. These actions demonstrate how charities and their regulators are taking strategic, proactive steps to adapt to challenges while continuing to achieve mission-driven outcomes.

1. Make recruitment more inclusive and strategic

Too often, charitable roles are defined in ways that favour candidates with deep sector experience, inadvertently narrowing the talent pool. In the current market, where competition for skills is intense and salaries are constrained, this approach simply isn’t working.

Charities can broaden their reach by:

• Focusing role descriptions on capabilities and impact and experience in the sector
• Emphasising learning and support in job adverts to attract candidates who may not have worked in charities before
• Recognising transferable skills from sectors such as corporate, public or social enterprise

This doesn’t mean lowering standards. It means being more intentional about what skills are essential versus what can be developed once someone has been appointed.

 2. Develop multiple entry routes

A robust pipeline is rarely built from a single entry point. Most charities rely heavily on experienced hires, however  alternative pathways can enrich the flow of talent:

Early career programmes
Charities should invest in entry‑level roles that offer clear development prospects. Ambitious early career professionals want meaningful work and growth opportunities.

Apprenticeships and structured internships
Although sometimes under‑utilised, apprenticeships and internships offer a practical route for training people directly into skills that charities need, such as digital communications, fundraising operations and data analytics. This supports long‑term capability building rather than short‑term filling of vacancies.

Secondments and partnerships
Short‑term placements from other sectors bring in fresh expertise and build longer‑term relationships. By providing access to skills that would otherwise be beyond their budget, they give charities a boost while offering participants invaluable sector experience

3. Sharpen the focus on retention

Recruitment is only part of the pipeline story. Retaining staff ensures that the investment in bringing someone into an organisation pays off over the longer term.

To support retention:

• Create clear pathways for career progression, even in flatter organisations
• Build structured leadership development for emerging and established leaders
• Regularly review roles and workloads to reduce burnout and ensure wellbeing

There is a clear connection between staff retention and organisational stability. When people feel supported and see career possibilities they are less likely to leave, and more likely to contribute meaningfully over time.

4. Use data to inform decisions

Data should be a guiding light in workforce planning, not an afterthought.

Charities can begin with simple but powerful metrics such as:

• Time to hire and vacancy duration
• Turnover rates by team or role
• Internal progression and promotion data

Even basic analysis can reveal where bottlenecks occur and where targeted investment in training or recruitment yields the best returns.

5. Build an employer brand that resonates

In a crowded job market, charities need to communicate clearly about what makes them unique as employers. Candidates are seeking meaningful work; they want clarity about culture, progression, and the realities of the roles they are considering.

Employer branding that showcases real staff experiences, explains how teams work together, and offers transparent insight into organisational values can help increase both attraction and retention.

6. Collaborate across the sector

No charity operates in isolation, and strengthening pipelines benefits the whole sector. Organisations can learn from each other, share best practice, pool resources, and coordinate on training initiatives.

Partnerships with professional networks, funders, training providers, and even government programmes can boost reach and create stronger pipelines than any charity could build alone.

In 2026, the UK charity sector stands at a crossroads. Persistent demand for services, rising employment costs and recruitment challenges are testing organisations of all sizes. Yet within these pressures lie opportunities to rethink how people enter, grow and stay within charities.

Successful charities fill roles and build pathways, by proactively attracting, developing, and retaining talent, organisations create a workforce capable of sustaining their mission and driving long‑term impact. Those that take a strategic, forward‑thinking approach to talent are the ones best positioned to thrive today and in the years to come. At Charisma, we are dedicated to connecting the right people with the right roles to fuel meaningful change.