Giving Compass' Take:

• Beth Kanter discusses the trends in nonprofit wellbeing practices that she believes professionals in the social sector should adopt in 2019. 

• Kanter explains that there are trends for professionals to disconnect from technology as well as engage with new tech aimed at increasing health and wellness. How can funders ensure that nonprofit professionals are at their most effective by increasing wellbeing? 

• Read more about the importance of nonprofit employee wellness.

In 2019, there will be a continued interest and focus for nonprofits to get impact without burnout, explains Beth Kanter. The best-selling author outlines the top trends in wellbeing that all nonprofit professionals should know about and practice in the new year.

In the wake of some of the most stressful times for nonprofits and activists that I work with, many are seeking out ways to reduce burnout, practice self-care and build empathetic relationships and supportive policies in the workplace.

Here’s a few trends to watch in 2019:

  1. Building a culture of wellbeing in the nonprofit workplace is more popular than ever:  Organizational culture has become your nonprofit’s brand and it really matters more than ever when it comes to sustaining high performance.
  2. More nonprofits will adopt workplace policies around flex-place, flex-time, four-day work weeks, and minimum vacation time: More and more organizations are instituting non-traditional workplace policies in an effort to reduce burnout and increase productivity.
  3. Micro-moments of self-care during the day will become more commonplace: Nonprofit leaders will continue to recognize that self-care is not a luxury, but a part of doing the job. A new trend of bringing self-care into the workplace consists of weaving it into your day as micro-breaks.
  4. Getting enough sleep is essential, but too much can be harmful: Looks like the optimum amount of sleep is now 6-8 hours, based on this new, large-scale study.
  5. Technology is eroding our health and wellbeing: There have been more and more reports of Silicon Valley insiders are going to great lengths disconnect from social media and their mobile phones.
  6. Technology is enhancing our health and wellbeing: There is a flip side. Increasingly technology tools—from apps to devices—are being used to monitor, improve, and enhance our health, happiness, and wellbeing.

Read the full article about nonprofit wellbeing trends by Beth Kanter at GlobalGiving.