WTOP: 5 ways nonprofits can…
Client Demographics
Nonprofit HR Practice Area: HR Outsourcing
Location: Los Angeles, California
Sector: Nonprofit
Mission Type: Advocacy/Legal/Policy
Staff Size: 26–75 Employees
Annual Budget: $10.1–$20 Million
DescriptionA California-based advocacy/legal/policy nonprofit shifted to remote work early on in the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the extensive nature of the law work in addition to it being an election year, staff were feeling overwhelmed by their workloads on top of general anxiety about the pandemic. In particular, many employees had families with children and were uncertain about maintaining work-life balance entering the summer without school as a support system. Nonprofit HR was engaged to help this organization avoid employee burnout and foster a healthy work-life balance. |  |
Project Duration: 5 months
Considerations & Solutions
Nonprofit HR assisted the organization in implementing Summer Fridays, in which the office is closed every Friday during the summer. No extra hours are needed to work during the week. Time off provided a concrete way for employees to rest and recharge, allowing them more time at home and more bandwidth once they returned to work. Through employing a pre- and post-survey, the organization was able to use the feedback from staff to track the impact of this initiative.
While it was a challenge for staff to adjust to this new schedule, it was received well and successfully communicated to the employees that their mental health was a priority. Moving forward, the organization hopes to implement this initiative every year, but remain flexible and modify as necessary based on staff feedback. The client also plans to implement general pulse surveys in order to address staff concerns in a timely manner and ensure the ongoing effectiveness of the programs in place.
Recap & Reflect: What would your organization need to discuss, agree to, and implement to prevent burnout and promote work-life balance? Who should be in the conversation and what factors should be considered?