Fighting Burnout
I have to admit, I'm increasingly seeing fundraising professionals being burnt out, having a shorter fuse regarding challenges, and overall being tired. It's anecdotal at best. But a recent article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy indicates what I'm seeing is actually what's occurring across the industry.
An August article entitled “Burnout Plagues Nonprofits, with Bad Effects for Mission - Sabbaticals May Help” caught my attention. The article highlights where, because of staffing challenges and fewer resources for investment in personnel, nonprofit leaders are becoming worn out.
While I would never disagree with the statistics, what I found most interesting was the concept of sabbaticals. To be candid, the only place I've ever seen the term used is in academic, higher educational organizations. Universities will use sabbaticals for professors to do research, write books, travel, et cetera. I'm not quite sure I've positioned it as an option in professional life outside of the academic arena. The article highlights several examples where people were able to get away for three months, and up to a year to take a break, to refresh, and how that was helpful in coming back to fight their own challenges and issues within the nonprofit organization.
I am not against sabbaticals in any way, shape, or form. Here are my questions. In a smaller nonprofit, or in a department within a larger nonprofit that has only a few people, when one person takes a sabbatical where does the work go? I think about some of the smaller universities and hospitals that I work with where the philanthropy office may be only three to eight people. If someone takes three months off, do the other people have to pick up the slack? Do they have the talent to do so? Does the organization have the ability to supplement extra work/support within the office? The short answer is, no.
There is an argument, well-articulated in the article, that most of the work can wait till the person gets back. A few things might be picked up by others but generally, things will hold tight until a person's return.
It would be a wonderful perk if someone could take a month, three months, or six months off as a paid sabbatical. But with the financial crunch we're seeing, based on inflation, can nonprofits really afford that particular perk?
I'm not advocating against the idea of sabbaticals. I do ask the questions above as a way to ensure that any organization can continue to move forward with its mission and daily responsibilities. Not having been around the concept, in practice, I would have much to learn, but finally the overall principle is somewhat interesting.
