Many nonprofits work hard to do good in the world, but it’s easy for even the most passionate employees to get overly taxed and burn out.

Beth Kanter and Aliza Sherman, coauthors of The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit, posted several tips on Wild Apricot about keeping your employees happy and energized.

The authors embrace the latest health and wellness advice by proposing the use of standing desks to prevent too much sitting. They also suggest creating a friendly sleep competition among staffers to encourage everyone to get more rest so they can focus better at work.

“Eating at your desk is unhealthy and isolating, and yet so many nonprofit workers squeeze in more work by doing just that,” they say. Build a sense of community in your organization with communal meals.

Also, consider mindfulness breaks during the day. “Offering an option to take a break for mindfulness activities at work can benefit everyone on your team.”

See more burnout prevention advice here.

Organization Innovation

https://twitter.com/ssain7/status/824721186751913985

Innovation doesn’t just come from a spontaneous spark of genius. You can plan for it, argues Sarah Sain, a development manager with Naylor Association Solutions.

Sain lays out a few ways organizations can create a culture that promotes new ideas.

“Every association should have a one-sentence vision statement that clearly communicates the future you are working toward,” she says. “When your association’s board, members, or staff are considering new ideas, programs, or technology, allow your vision statement to serve as your guide. Ask yourself, ‘Will this innovation bring us closer to what we want to achieve?’”

Organizations also need to stay flexible. “To keep innovation and your association’s work on behalf of members and your industry from stalling, an association should remain nimble in order to respond quickly to changes in the environment.”

Other links of note

Planning for the future: Sheri Jacobs, president and CEO at Avenue M Group, shares five consumer trends all associations should know.

Success or failure: Fast Company takes a look at what impact a board’s diversity has on a new CEO’s success.

Making networking more interesting: Do you find networking boring? Business Insider delivers tips on how to find the most interesting person in the room at your next networking event.

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