Going well? Wellbeing in the social impact sector

At the June 2023 Skoll Centre Insights for Action research seminar,?Professor Marya Hill-Popper Besharov , Dr Adaku Jennifer Agwunobi, PhD , Dr Laurence Wainwright , and Tara Montgomery discussed wellbeing and wellness in the social impact sector: the state of play, why wellbeing is essential to sustain this work, and the role of leaders in fostering wellbeing for themselves, their organisations, and in the sector as a whole.?

Going well? Wellbeing in the social impact sector:

In this discussion, we approached the ideas of wellness and wellbeing holistically, considering threats to mental health, physical health, and safety. Employees across every sector are feeling more vulnerable and at greater risk of burnout, and this is particularly acute in the impact sector, where changemakers are tackling the world’s most urgent and complex issues like climate change and inequality – and against a backdrop of an increasingly frayed social fabric, rising mistrust and instability. In this complex work, leadership roles require guiding the organisation through difficult decisions in a rapidly changing landscape, with long-term implications and high stakes. Increasingly, these changemakers are facing chronic stress, depression, and burnout. We see that the urge to endure rather than recharge is overpowering. However, to sustain this important work, it is important to build resilience to protect one’s mental health.???

Reflecting on the state of play in the social impact sector, the speakers highlighted key ideas about how to build resilience to sustain this important work, emphasising the importance of self-awareness, openness, and authenticity; playing the long game; and resources:?

• Organisations should build a culture that authentically and structurally supports wellbeing now and for the long-term – where different practices are supported and encouraged –e.g. emphasising the importance of rest; hybrid work; and even paid sabbaticals.???
• Protect boundaries between work and life: a normalisation of overworking, and passion for the work, can lead to blurred lined between work and life. Leaders must avoid ‘passion exploitation’, modelling the importance of work-life balance.??

• Resource the work: in the social impact sector, the issues on which we work are often deeply personal, with Lived Experience Leaders working to change the very systems in which they live. To support these leaders, and avoid broader ‘passion exploitation, this work needs resources – not only for projects, but also for salaries and, in some cases, security to do this work safely.?
• Long-term thinking: organisations should aim for long-term commitments to wellbeing and integrate this into their strategies. This will require organisational financial stability to ensure this work can be resourced, and alliances with others (e.g. unions) to enable the collective action needed for collective wellbeing.?
• Move beyond individual self-care: Radical self-care – pioneered by Angela Davis and others – offers a path to collective healing, and a means to build our resilience to continue this important work.??

Leaders must avoid ‘passion exploitation’, modelling the importance of work-life balance.??

What does this mean for leaders in the social impact space? Our speakers offer key takeaways for the wellbeing of leaders, their teams, and organisations:??

• Start with the basics: establish your own baseline personal wellbeing (including prioritising sleep, diet and exercise), as you cannot look after others if you do not look after yourself.??
• Connect as people: find the best entry points to talk about wellbeing in your particular organisation – language is important here (e.g. in one organisation, talking about ‘mood’ or ‘reactions’ worked better than talking about ‘emotions’ or ‘feelings’). As leaders and managers, consider dedicating part of your regular management meetings to work and part to how your colleagues are doing more broadly.?
• Move from self-criticism to self-compassion: normalise conversations around day-to-day wellbeing; encourage taking breaks, failing, and learning. And be clear that wellbeing is not an individual problem, but rather a complex, collective issue to be worked through together and at the policy level. Leaders can elevate this conversation and influence strategy and policy in the organisation.??

To support lived experience leaders, and avoid broader ‘passion exploitation, this work needs resources – not only for projects, but also for salaries and, in some cases, security to do this work safely.?

• Establish a culture of psychological safety, where it is ok to ‘fail and to fumble’ because the organisation has a safety net to contain this work and catch you if you fall. This applies to everyone, including senior leaders who may need support at the board-level.???

Missed the main event? No problem. You can watch the recording online here: Wellness and Wellbeing in the Social Impact Sector .??

Interested in hearing more about wellbeing at work? Listen to Vice-Chancellor Irene Tracey and Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve , Director of Oxford's Wellbeing Research Centre, discuss why wellbeing matters in the workplace .

Want to hear more from the Skoll Centre? Email [email protected] to sign up for the mailing list for future Insights for Action research seminars, and join us on Friday 3rd November for our next one: Financing Impact: the next generation of philanthropic and impact investment capital .