Kol hakavod to Barry Finestone for sounding the alarm in the Jewish communal world about a crisis that has gone unaddressed for far too long, and that is now threatening to drive our best talent away from the field (“The crisis we’re ignoring: Who’s caring for the people who hold up the Jewish world?” Aug. 25).

As a leadership coach and consultant working in this sector, I see gifted professionals, working at organizations to which they are passionately committed, but doing work that is unsustainable — and in some cases, driving them to the breaking point. Their responsibilities often constitute way more than one full time job, their weekends and evenings are seldom their own; and the emotional toll of working in the Jewish community in this time of unprecedented divisiveness and rancor goes largely unacknowledged and addressed. 

Pavlo Syvak/Abobe Stock

Finestone suggests some remedies worth exploring, including supplementing staff when needed, protecting rest, educating about political minefields and building cross-institutional lifelines. But his recommendation that showing gratitude might be achieved by offering wellness or spa days, frankly, stopped me in my tracks. As lovely as an occasional massage might be, I have never heard a Jewish professional express a yearning for that kind of pampering. What I do hear from the vast majority of the ones I coach is for their organizations to demonstrate their commitment to sustaining them at their jobs by adopting overall HR practices that constitute the very best practices in the nonprofit world. 

At a minimum, these would include:

1.) Clear job descriptions with realistic responsibilities and achievable goals. Employees should be crystal clear about what is expected of them and what success looks like. And those expectations should be realistic for one employee.

2.) Generous benefits packages, including sustainable wages for the community in which they’re based, appropriate parental leave, generous health coverage and paid time off they can use to refresh and recover.

3.) Respecting boundaries of all kinds. There should be no frantic work emails or urgent demands to work off hours unless there’s a dire emergency. The Jewish communal world faces another distinctive challenge: the blurring of boundaries between the personal and professional. As intimate as we like to think our workplaces are, we are not families. Violations of professional boundaries, including inquiries or comments about one’s personal life — however well intended — only serve to undermine the confidence and professionalism of employees, particularly younger ones.

4.) Robust support and evaluation. Every employee has the right to expect regular supervision from a veteran professional with the skills and commitment to give them their full attention and provide the support needed. Performance reviews should be held annually, including strategies for success and individualized plans to help each employee reach their full potential.

5.) Continuing professional development. While hiring focuses on selecting the candidate with the best ability to deliver on the organization’s goals, sustaining employees and enabling their growth to fulfill greater responsibilities is of equal importance to the organization and to the field. Employees should be offered a range of learning opportunities to hone their skills, and encouraged to identify ones they deem most relevant. Consider designating a budget line for coaching and/or look for opportunities to connect employees with one another within or beyond your organization, for mutual support. 

6.) Recognition and appreciation are key, and they are best achieved by incorporating these values into ongoing supervision and staff communication. Busy and stressed supervisors can all too easily fall into the trap of focusing only on mistakes and shortcomings. No one should have to wait until their annual review, or hear third-hand about the ways their efforts have bolstered the organization’s mission.

As refreshing as a spa day might be, having a sustainable job with clear expectations, solid boundaries, time to rest, meaningful recognition and encouragement to grow will go a lot further in protecting this valuable talent pool. The future of our community depends on our getting this right.

Nahma Nadich is a leadership consultant and coach.