Thriving Together: Cultivating Well-being & Sustainability in the Social Sector

As burnout rates among employees surpass those seen during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the U.S. Surgeon General prioritizing workplace well-being, there is an increasing demand for employers to recognize and tackle this widespread issue.

Last fall, with support from The Boston Foundation and Fidelity Charitable Catalyst Fund, the Institute for Nonprofit Practice (INP) launched its Well-being Initiative – an effort to research, develop, teach, and disseminate a set of interventions that address rising burnout, turnover, and workforce shortages in the social sector. The Institute for Nonprofit Practice (INP), which works to transform the social sector to be more effective, connected, equitable, and diverse, released its new report, Thriving Together: Cultivating Well-being & Sustainability in the Social Sector, on November 4, 2024 during a community event hosted by TBF.

We invite you to explore the new data from INP and Community Science on the state of well-being in the social sector. The report underscores the severe financial and organizational impacts of burnout, including an estimated $154 billion annual cost to U.S. employers due to stress-related absenteeism. It also points to the negative effects on productivity, employee engagement, service quality, innovation, and organizational culture.

To counter these challenges, the report offers practical recommendations for leaders, organizations, and donors to enhance workplace well-being and sustainability. This initiative is a call to action for continued dialogue and innovation to create healthier, more resilient workplaces in the social sector.