Supporting mental health is crucial for charitable organisations. Here are 5 top tips for nonprofit leaders

The Importance of Prioritising Mental Health in the Charitable Sector

As leaders of charitable organisations and nonprofits, we have a duty to support the mental health and wellbeing of employees. The past few years have been incredibly challenging, with the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating pre-existing stresses and leading to increased anxiety, depression, and burnout across all industries. Additionally, the current cost of living crisis has put further financial strain on individuals, heightening worries over job security and making it difficult for people to make ends meet. Those working in the charitable/nonprofit sector are particularly at risk for poor mental health outcomes, as they take on emotionally demanding roles and regularly encounter trauma, grief, poverty, injustice, and more. The combination of work-related stress and broader financial pressures has been detrimental to mental health. As leaders, we must recognise these realities and prioritise support for employees' wellbeing.

Here are some steps you can take:

Make mental health a priority in your strategic planning. Develop organisation-wide mental health policies and devote resources to training managers on identifying and addressing mental health needs.

Lead by example. Share your own experiences with stress and work-life balance. Use some of your time off to reconnect and recharge. Encourage others to do the same without guilt or fear of judgement.

Provide access to mental health support. Partner with affordable mental health providers to offer counselling services. Bring in experts to provide training sessions on self-care, establishing boundaries, the psychology of trauma, and more.

Adjust workload expectations. Evaluate current workloads and allow for more flexible scheduling when possible. Adjust goals and policies around working overtime.

Build community. Foster open communication between leadership and employees. Create opportunities for staff bonding and mutual support. Develop mentorship programmes.

Prioritising mental health is not only an ethical imperative regarding duty of care to employees, it also makes good business sense. Numerous studies show that poor mental health reduces productivity and creativity while increasing absenteeism and staff turnover. On the other hand, organisations with a positive mental health culture see improved recruitment, retention, work quality, and workplace satisfaction.

As nonprofit leaders, we have an obligation to avoid burnout and support the wellbeing of our people. By making mental health a top priority today, we can build more sustainable, empowered, and resilient organisations for a better tomorrow. The time for change is now.

#mentalhealthmatters #wellbeing #therapy #selfcare #nonprofitlife

Emily Formby

Not-for-Profit / Charity - Search Specialist

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