Nonprofit Burnout Fix: Real Talk on Retention & Revolutionizing Work
The Nonprofit Hive Chat - Insights from the SISR Report
“We have to decide that being realistic with our resource availability is a kind thing to do for ourselves.”
The 2024 SISR report—Social Impact Staff Retention Report—represents a bold call to action for the nonprofit sector, shedding light on the critical challenges and opportunities within staff engagement and retention.
With striking findings such as 74% of respondents actively seeking new roles and two-thirds uncertain about their long-term future in the sector, co-authors Michelle Flores Vryn and Evan Wildstein offer a grounded perspective from their in-house nonprofit leadership. Their approach emphasizes practical solutions over broad generalities, urging organizations to balance responsibilities with resources, prioritize flexibility, and foster growth opportunities that align with staff values and aspirations. As the sector faces intergenerational gaps and burnout manifesting in diverse ways, their collaborative ethos and actionable recommendations underscore a simple truth: by listening to and caring for their people, nonprofits can unlock both staff loyalty and mission success.
This report isn’t just a reflection of challenges—it’s a resource that can be used to start much-needed conversations on building healthier, more resilient organizations.
Download the full report.
“I think what people are really craving is the idea behind what the sector was built on—I don’t know if it was ever fully manifest—but it was built on ideas like reciprocity, collective care, interconnectedness.”
