The Future Is Collective: Effective Workplace Strategies for Building a Culture of Care

Khonsari, a nonprofit leader and community organizer, debuts with an accessible guide to building collective workplaces at nonprofits and social justice organizations. Often impacted by high levels of stress, burnout, and turnover, these organizations need to align their organizational practices with their external missions and values, according to Khonsari. Drawing on her own experience founding the immigrant justice organization Pangea Legal Services, she encourages rethinking hierarchical models and embracing elements of collective leadership, like implementing pay equity and transparency, cultivating supportive and trusting relationships between colleagues, and distributing decision-making power among the team. Khonsari’s most profound advice comes in her challenge to the “urgency trap.” Noting that social justice work, which often involves helping people in need, can lead to a culture of urgency that encourages people to work around the clock, she contends that setting boundaries between one’s personal and work life is essential to avoid emotional drain and mental exhaustion. She concludes with a road map for effectively handling conflict within an organization and guidance for navigating funding as a collectively governed organization. Compassionate and practical, Khonsari’s advice centers sustainable strategies for building nonprofits that will endure. Those looking to give back without burning out will be encouraged. (Oct.)