What does the reality in NGOs look like and what can we do to change it?
We have known for years that work in non-governmental organizations is not as rosy as it seems. We have known that behind commitment and passion often lie fatigue, guilt and a lack of systemic support. Nevertheless, reliable research that would demonstrate the scale of the problem and its causes was scarce. Thanks to Erasmus+ funding, we created the Burnout Aid project along with our partners from Croatia and Slovenia. We carried it out between 2019 and 2020 and its leader was the Culture Shock Foundation.
Our goal was to build an online support system for non-governmental organizations focused on preventing professional and activist burnout in the third sector and counteracting this phenomenon. The international study that we conducted in Poland, Croatia, and Slovenia was the first part of the project. The results not only exposed the main problems but also gave us a unique insight into the well-being of NGO workers. We hope that they will make a meaningful contribution to the ongoing discussion on work culture in NGOs, help break the taboo around burnout and become an impulse to take necessary remedial actions.
Course of the study and method
The first stage of the study was desk research – an overview of existing research, reports, and analyses on professional burnout in NGOs in each of the three countries. We analyzed both professional literature and the presence of the topic in the media and public discourse. This showed us that although research on professional burnout has been conducted in Poland, Croatia, and Slovenia since the 1970s, it focuses mainly on its psychological and individual aspects. There is little research on the impact of burnout on entire organizations, let alone on NGOs. We published the summary of desk research in 2020. It became the basis for further steps [download link for the desk research report here].
The next step was a qualitative study carried out in 2020. In each country, our team of researchers and female experts conducted five case studies of NGOs working with different groups: women, people with disabilities, migrants, refugees and members of the LGBTQ+ community. In each organization, we conducted group or individual interviews with team members: employees, leaders and volunteers. In total, we did 45 individual in-depth interviews as part of 15 case studies in three countries. The case studies were complemented by expert interviews with female psychologists and therapists, a psychiatrist, female lawyers, organizational development coaches and female activists with experience working in NGOs. This part of the study aimed to capture the nature of burnout in third sector organizations and help understand its causes, effects, and ways of coping with it – both at the individual and team or organizational level [download link for the qualitative research report here].
Burnout in NGOs: What exactly are we talking about?
Numerous definitions of burnout are present in the literature. Most often, they are based on research in the business and corporate environment. However, this phenomenon is not as thoroughly described for the third sector, i.e. activists and NGO workers. We wanted to explore how those involved in social work understand burnout – both those who have experienced or encountered burnout in their workplace and those who have not.
Both groups used the following words most frequently:
- fatigue (both physical and mental),
- stress,
- loss of a sense of purpose in one’s work.
In addition, those who have experienced burnout pointed out that it is connected with:
- inability or difficulty to rest and detach from professional duties,
- depression or other disorders as consequences of burnout (respondents from the other group mentioned sadness),
- dual nature of symptoms: on the one hand, unwillingness to work and loss of motivation, enthusiasm and commitment, and on the other hand, too much commitment and a sense of being irreplaceable.
The respondents also used the words: guilt, numbness, exhaustion. They indicated that it was more than just fatigue after a demanding project – it was a process that lasted for months or years. It manifests both mentally (“I don't see the point in what I'm doing”) and physically (“I feel that my body is rebelling”). The respondents said that even when they return to work after rest, it is difficult for them to regain energy and a sense of meaning. They emphasized that burnout often comes quietly and stays with them for a long time, in their bodies, somewhere “in the back of their minds.”
Where does burnout originate?
The data we collected during our study clearly show that burnout in NGOs is caused mostly by organizational and systemic factors. The most relevant risk factors are:
- chronic overwork and lack of stable teams,
- unstable funding, pressure on further projects and grants,
- very low remuneration and lack of social security,
- conflicts in teams, lack of procedures and clear rules,
- working in an atmosphere of social and political resistance to the organization's mission.
“We, experts in violence prevention, are violent toward ourselves,” said one of the respondents. These words can summarize the paradox of the actions taken by employees (not only leaders) in support organizations.
The ethos of activism and its traps
As expected, a recurring theme in the interviews was a strong sense of identification with the mission and the belief that “one must keep helping.” Many respondents mentioned the guilt that arises when they try to relax or take care of themselves. This ethos of activism – being permanently available, holding the belief that others are more important – is sometimes one of the main traps that lead to burnout.
The respondents also pointed out the patterns that have seeped into the NGO culture from the corporate world: an emphasis on efficiency, the implementation of KPIs, and competition between organizations. Combined with limited financial resources and a lack of stability, such a work style becomes unbearable for employees.
When work hurts more: the profile of target groups
We aimed to examine how the profile of target groups influences stress and burnout. The most emotionally taxing work turned out to be with those who had experienced trauma (especially with women who had suffered violence and individuals with a refugee background), and this can result in vicarious trauma (secondary traumatic stress).
Minority group members who work in organizations supporting these communities, e.g. LGBTQ+, face situations in their everyday work that affect their identity. Therefore, they often take these situations personally, which is linked to the experience of minority stress.
What changes are needed?
Respondents pointed out specific solutions:
- stable and flexible funding that would allow hiring based on employment contracts,
- funding administrative, team-building, and development activities in teams,
- greater availability of training, supervision, and psychological support,
- introduction of minimum standards for working conditions in NGOs.
Why talk (and write) about it?
“It is not a hobby or a whim. It is work for the common good,” said one of the respondents. This is an important reminder that caring for the well-being in NGOs is not a privilege, but a duty – to ourselves, the team, and the people we support. Burnout not only harms those who experience it but also weakens entire organizations and affects the quality of social work. This is why we need the courage to speak openly about it and break taboos.
The Burnout Aid project addresses this need. Together, we have created an online platform that we constantly develop and enrich with educational materials, checklists, tests, and workshop scenarios. It is a place that helps better understand the mechanisms of burnout, observe warning signs, and learn how to prevent it — at individual, team, and organizational level. Because we know that real strength to support others grows out of healthy relationships and conscious teams.
