For Leading Edge, as for so many people in the Jewish nonprofit sector, our hearts are with the people of Israel as they try to be resilient in the face of recent heartbreaking and terrifying events. The Jewish nonprofit sector in North America is deeply bound up with communities in Israel, and nothing can be “business as usual” as this crisis unfolds.
At the same time, and for that same reason, Leading Edge is proceeding with our work supporting leaders and workplace culture in Jewish nonprofits. Leadership and culture are never more important than when times are hard. It is in that spirit that we share this brief list of thoughts, ideas, and resources for supporting the people who are the Jewish nonprofit sector at this time.
Supporting Your Team: Ideas for Professional Leaders, Managers, and People Professionals
Ensure your leave policies include emergency leave for those whose loved ones are directly affected. Resource from PandaDoc: Personal Emergency Leave Policy Template
Communicate to your team and acknowledge things like these:
- This is a difficult time, emotionally, for the sector and the Jewish community.
- Express care for the well-being of the team during this time.
- Depending on the organization, “business as usual” may be suspended and changed. Certainly that is the case for the Jewish nonprofit sector overall.
- Many people in our field have deep personal, familial, and professional connections to people affected in Israel.
- Some team members may find it difficult to concentrate on work, and that’s okay.
- Some team members may want to throw themselves into work and not think about the crisis, and that’s okay.
- Some team members may not feel affected at all, and that’s okay.
- People may have a huge variety of responses to what’s happening, and we can all create a supportive environment by holding space for that variety of responses.
- Depending on how your organizations are responding, sometimes team members who are strongly emotionally affected may also have new and urgent responsibilities involved in responding to the crisis, and this may be particularly difficult.
- Remind staff about mental health programs and benefits available to them.
- Managers: Ask direct reports how they’re feeling and listen openly.
- Keep the immediate, the short-term, and the long-term viewpoints in mind. We are in the onset of this crisis, but we should all keep in mind that the situation and its needs and contours will evolve over time
- Hold space for people to process what they’re feeling.
- Hold a physical or virtual meeting for people to come together.
- As much as is feasible depending on your work, allow extra flexibility with schedules and time off for people to process things in their own ways.
- Share actions people can take to help.
- Organization-specific ways to help if your organization is responding.
- Links to relief funds if people are looking for places to give. (Make clear that this is purely optional and personal and will not be monitored or known by the employer.)
- Share information about local communal responses and gatherings (making clear that participation is purely optional and personal, and the employer will not monitor participation).
Please note that Areyvut passionately supports every Israel event, program and resource that we post at this time. To have us list your event, please e-mail us at info@areyvut.org and provide us with all the necessary information. Am Yisrael Chai.
