The Takeaway: Ethical Tech and the Future of Social Impact

Whether it’s a future of work powered by software that supports workers and businesses alike, technology infrastructure to manage sustainable supply chains, improving digital access and safeguards for our democratic process, or removing bias in data and AI platforms that impact marginalized communities, the actions we take in the present to invest in equitable digital platforms will determine whether our collective grasp will ever extend outwards to our collective reach.

During a NationSwell virtual roundtable on May 25th, a group of cross-sector leaders gathered to discuss the role of emergent technologies like generative AI have to play in advancing that impact and what leaders can do to implement ethical digital and technical solutions in order to scale solutions and provide equitable access.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

Organizations must stay disciplined when it comes to asking larger questions about who they’re using AI to serve and what they hope to accomplish. In order to bridge gaps between intent, strategy, and the actual digital products and services that end up being built, companies must establish clear mandates and decision matrices about how to best serve the populations they’re working for. One of the first steps to guaranteeing alignment should be to make sure that clear lines of transparency and clear moral imperatives are present throughout the entire organization. 

The adoption of an “ethical ombudsman” can help to ensure a shared ethical responsibility. Rather than adopting “shiny new tech” just for the sake of doing so and then allowing the ethical buck to get passed on to the tools themselves, companies and individuals should take a more active role in assuming the ethical burden by creating a new position designed specifically to oversee projects at the organizational level and evaluate the potential risks and harm that new technologies can pose to individuals and communities.

Train new systems with humanitarian concerns, not just technological ones. The tech we use broadly everyday (internet, social media, etc.) was created by a relatively small group of people, technologists who are good at making things, but not necessarily experts at holistically considering the ecosystems and people that will use that tech in everyday life. To solve for this gap, we’ll need to build better and more intentional methods to ensure that public interest is baked into design — potentially by hiring folks with humanitarian backgrounds to serve as model trainers and by ensuring more cross-sectionality in design phases.

Drawing distinctions between the types of potential harm that new technologies can cause will be critical to mitigating the damage. We need to think about potential technological harm as falling into two distinct categories: acute harms and institutional harms. The former includes harms done to the individual, while the latter includes harms to communities and populations. These different types of harm will require unique interventions, and getting clear on which is which will be the first step to any mitigation strategy. 

Pathways to widespread adoption of potentially transformative new technologies must be established in order for underserved populations to thrive. In addition to ensuring pathways to adoption, it’s also imperative to bring in the people who stand to be most affected by the digital divide during the design process and incorporate their feedback into the build. Bringing boots on the ground into the regulation process and having the right people around the table to help in the decision making can also be a way to reduce inherent bias.

The Wrap-Up: Building the Future of Work

Organizational leaders are at an unprecedented inflection point. Years of pandemic-related challenges have disrupted society’s most foundational systems – and the workplace is no exception. From the potential and pressures of new technologies to evolving stakeholder expectations, leaders have had to be innovative, nimble, and clear-eyed in response to rapid shifts in how we work, where we work, how we support the people who work for us, and how we can harness the power of emerging tech while keeping humans at the center of our efforts.

There is no playbook for these leaders — but there are promising, new models, strategies, and approaches to navigating these shifts in the landscape. To support these leaders, NationSwell announced a new 2023 initiative focused on Building the Future of Work to support practitioners advancing the intersecting fields of labor, equity, technology, and sustainability.

Through a series of convenings, research, and interviews, NationSwell has surfaced some of the most promising takeaways on how leaders are responding to present challenges, redressing the injustices of the past, and working to build a more equitable, just, and human-centered future of work — while illuminating what’s on their minds as they build. With the valuable findings below in hand, NationSwell is excited to further explore this evolving realm of leadership, continuing our quest to better understand the ever-changing dynamics in this field.


The Community Leaders Who Made This Possible

We wanted to take a moment to spotlight just some of the leaders who made Building the Future of Work possible.

 “To prepare for the future of work, we must invest intentionally in developing the leadership of young people to thrive, and lead, in a rapidly changing world.” — Radha Ruparell

Learn more about how Radha is building the Future of Work as Head of Global Leadership Accelerator at Teach For All.

“Becoming truly human-centered will require shifting our focus from the future of work to the future of workers.” — Maria Flynn

Learn more about how Maria is building a human-centered for of work as President and CEO of Jobs For the Future.

“We need to align the conversations of employer competitiveness enabled by technology with that of advancing job quality. Many people want a different world of work than the one we inherited or even shaped before the pandemic.” — Shalin Jyotishi

Learn more about how Shalin is Building the Future of Work as a fellow for the World Economic Forum.

“The most important part of building the future of work is grounding worker performance in well-being. We will still face change and uncertainty, but a workplace that creates agency and connection to a larger purpose will enable people to perform.” — Meredith Davis

Learn more about how Meredith is Building the Future of Work as Government Account Partner at BetterUp.

“The future of work will require a change in perspective from a nuanced 40-hour a week schedule wherein employees are glued to a cubicle or office to one of flexibility—understandably, this will vary based on the scope of one’s position.” — Dr. Larry Johnson

Learn more about how Dr. Larry Johnson is Building the Future of Work as President of CUNY’s Guttman Community College


The Takeaways

Learn how NationSwell leaders are Building the Future of the Workforce by creating untraditional pipelines to employment for would-be workers from marginalized communities.

Learn how NationSwell leaders are Building the Future of Work by using inclusive leadership as their compass to navigate a newly hybrid working world.

Learn how NationSwell leaders are building the Future of Work by advancing corporate cultures that pave the way towards progress, equality, and greater social impact overall.


NationSwell’s Future of Work Collaboratives received two honors from Fast Company’s 2023 World Changing Ideas Awards. Learn more about our new model for scaled impact that unites the largest corporations, philanthropies and advocacy groups to accelerate and scale their impact, and how we’re using this model in Building the Future of Work, working with leaders to create a more equitable, sustainable and human future for the ever-evolving workplace.

The Takeaway: Building Culture and the Role of Leadership

For the past two years, organizations have been forced to navigate a series of social, financial, and political pressures that no one could have seen coming. As the dust begins to settle, it’s become increasingly obvious where organizations have made great strides towards achieving more equitable cultures and organizational outlooks — and where they still have room to grow.

As we continue to steer towards that more equitable and egalitarian future, join us for a conversation on what your fellow leaders are doing to build a culture of equity and belonging — one that prioritizes DEIB initiatives, mindful hiring practices, and workforce satisfaction and retention rates.

In a NationSwell virtual roundtable, leaders connected to discuss some of the challenges they’re still facing, while surfacing opportunities we’re eyeing to help us advance corporate cultures that pave the way towards progress, equality, and greater social impact overall. 

Here are some of the key takeaways:

Wrap arms around the ways that work has fundamentally changed in the pandemic era. Workers and leaders alike share a heightened awareness of organizational shortcomings; and while all leaders have blind spots, there is new urgency around stakeholders’ expectations that you will work to address them. But even as we work to address them, they way we all work is changing: hybrid work means new technology, and new technology means new opportunities alongside new challenges. As internal stakeholders may feel even further from the rooms where big decisions are made, building a culture rooted in transparency becomes paramount to organizational success.

To build an equitable and inclusive organizational culture, align around what you mean when you use the word “transparency.” Workers want leadership that is clear and consistent, but just as there is a danger in sharing too little information, there is a danger in sharing too much. This often necessitates being explicit about what you will share, and what you won’t — especially in difficult moments. As an example, share the criteria around why you might terminate an employment instead of sharing the specifics around why one person’s employment was terminated.

A thriving culture often aligns around norms and expectations for when to have a meeting. In a hybrid work environment, meeting bloat can feel like the enemy of productivity. At the same time, those meetings were often designed to enable productivity, efficiency, and innovation. It’s helpful to align around what meetings ought to be used for, and what the norms are for being in one another’s presence: think about friendly ways to reinforce that attendees shouldn’t be working on anything else, and that they should focus to the best of their ability on the information that is being shared.

Culture is communication. Build performance management systems that can evaluate based on outcomes but also behavior and collaboration.  Reward people who hit goals, but also support positive behaviors that improve culture (and hold those accountable who damage culture). Consider using a work style assessment tool, such as DISC, to help employees understand one another better. 

The Takeaway: The Future of the Workforce

On January 25, members of the nationswell council gathered for an in-person salon in New York City to discuss the future of work — the solutions and programs being considered at all levels of learning to better prepare students for successful careers; what organizations can do to build untraditional pipelines to the middle class and beyond; how to navigate a new hybrid work landscape in a way that balances individual flexibility and seamless collaboration while simultaneously mitigating burnout; and much, much more.

The conversation was warm, inviting, and generative, and sparked a flurry of great ideas and new chances for collaboration. Below are just a few key highlights from the discussion:


  • The future of work starts with students — and with how we ensure that they’re being prepared not just for the careers of today, but also to make family-sustaining wages. By partnering with large companies, community colleges in particular have an opportunity to be more thoughtful about designing curriculums that equip students with the real-world skills and connections they’ll need to land in-demand jobs. Micro-credentialing, upskilling, and financial literacy conversations — happening not just with students, but with corporate executives as well — can also help to create a climate of preparedness that will give applicants a competitive advantage.
  • Building a more equitable workforce will require us to take a more realistic look at the current set of challenges facing marginalized applicants. Taking into account the realities of violence and trauma that disproportionately impact some communities, companies looking to increasingly onboard new hires from nontraditional backgrounds will increasingly need to reevaluate their cultural competency training and provide more mental health, wellness, and wraparound support systems for future employees. 
  • To get more economically diverse applicants in the door, we will first need to “tear the paper ceiling.” Far too often, internships, fellowships, and other entry level opportunities require levels of experience or credentials, like a four-year college degree, that exploit and exacerbate existing societal inequities. In order to combat this and level the playing field, leaders will need to put out a clarion call to executives and hiring managers challenging them to reimagine their selection systems and hiring practices.
  • For those struggling under unreasonable credential requirements and barriers to entry, credential stacking could be a helpful pathway towards success. One way around this is through the stacking of credentials: building transferable skills through extracurricular experiences that count as elective credits, which can be immediately added to a resume in real time.
  • The pandemic has permanently reshaped our understanding of what counts as a “good job.” While there will always be a premium on the ability to earn a living wage, millennial and Gen Z workers have expectations of their employers that differ significantly from their predecessors. Interest in policies like unlimited paid time off and an increasing demand for health policies that respond to concerns about Roe v. Wade signal that, more and more often, people are choosing jobs and employers that align with their values.
  • Anticipating the challenges of the next 25 years will be critical in training the next generation of leaders. The challenges that young people will inevitably be forced to reckon with in the coming years are nothing short of enormous — not just in the world of work, but also involving climate change, globalization, wars, and growing social stratification. The question of how to develop and train young people as leaders in a more holistic way will be critical to anyone working with the next generation, and a particular premium will need to be placed on the “3 Cs”: connectedness, creativity and curiosity.
  • The interconnectedness of all people will continue to emerge as an important theme in the near future. Acknowledging those global challenges that young people will undoubtedly be facing will also require us to develop the deeper mindset that ‘my fate is interconnected with yours’ — not just in the U.S., but globally. Preparing young people for work will, increasingly, require us to grapple with an even bigger set of global challenges.

The NationSwell Council community brings together a diverse, curated community of bold individuals and organizations leading the way in social, economic, and environmental problem-solving. Learn more about the Council here.

Seizing the moment to close the opportunity gap

A pivotal moment for the future of work

The global economy is in a period of major transition from traditional fossil fuel-based industries to more renewable and sustainable processes & accountability systems — what some call a “greening” of the economy. This transition is spurring innovation,  job creation, and both the opportunity and responsibility to embed more inclusive approaches into the hiring for fast growing “green” jobs. 

In that context, Autodesk FoundationLinkedIn, and Workday have been working together as part of a Just Transition Collaborative facilitated by NationSwell, with the shared goal to identify opportunities to accelerate more equitable pathways into green jobs by increasing the use of skill-based hiring. In an effort to catalyze collective impact, we are sharing key insights from our work here.


Focus and approach

The Just Transition Collaborative is focused on communities and regions most impacted by the shift from traditional fossil fuel to sustainable industries, guided by the concept of just transition: the notion that no one is left behind in the transition to a green economy. We are propelled by the shared belief that this economic paradigm shift presents a meaningful chance to help close the opportunity gap in America — by seizing the moment to rethink inequitable approaches to talent and training, and expand the use of more inclusive practices like skills-based hiring, particularly among communities that have traditionally been marginalized or experienced economic divestment.

We investigated key roles and workforce development practices in industries that sit at the crux of innovation and the creation of middle-skill green jobs: manufacturing, clean energy (solar power and electric vehicles, in particular), and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) compliance. By speaking directly with an ecosystem of stakeholders in Indigenous, Appalachian, and Midwestern communities that have the most to gain from support for more equitable career pathways, we were able to better understand the needs of job-seekers impacted by the economic transition, and identify ways in which funders in this space can help accelerate change. We heard from workforce development organizations (e.g., Navajo PowerCoalfield DevelopmentISAICThe Industrial CommonsStacks & JoulesTalent Ei), employers in greening industries (e.g., VehyaINCOGreenworkCDPPique ActionIndigenized Energy InitiativeJust Transition CentreCalifornia Labor Management Cooperation Committee) and job seekers on the skills-based hiring track (via Coalfield Development).


Think systemically, then get specific

Our research highlighted that skills-based hiring is only one piece of the inclusivity puzzle. More than anything, job seekers are looking for good jobs and opportunities to build their careers in a way that leads to long-term economic stability and overall health (e.g., comprehensive benefits packages, a safe and comfortable work environment). Both funders seeking to truly make a difference for the communities that have experienced many years of systemic inequity and economic disenfranchisement, and employers seeking to live up to their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitments, must move at the speed of trust and acknowledge the wider issues in play. Often, talent is kept out of pipelines for good “green” jobs due to financial inclusion gaps such as the drop in pay from traditional fossil fuel roles, the cost of credentialing, over-emphasis on seasonal infrastructure roles, and the lack of accessibility to entry-level roles. 

With systems in mind, funders must then be prepared to get specific: workforce development solutions need to be hyper-localized to the communities in which they’re located (e.g., considering local transportation needs, workforce development networks, and specific recruitment ecosystems.) Specificity matters, even when it comes to language: we found that messaging focused on “green”, “low carbon”, and “sustainable” opportunities can lack resonance with key stakeholders who are more focused on honing their craft and securing their future.  

Building on this context, the Just Transition Collaborative uncovered three key insights that can guide more effective funding in this space. 

1. From job pathways to hiring ecosystems


Insight: Opaque pathways
Pathways into these types of “green” roles are opaque and often include many barriers to entry, including the need for academic qualifications or expensive credentials. Additionally, as industries emerge and evolve, new roles do not have standardized job descriptions and skill requirements. The lack of unified definition means that it’s difficult for skills providers to get funding and for job seekers to know how to gain access to those roles. Thus, sticking to traditional hiring routes (e.g., your own site, specific job boards) will not reach the widest talent pool, because many potential hires don’t know where to look or don’t think they qualify for the roles.

Solution: Hiring ecosystems
Businesses have success in reaching underserved talent by partnering with community and workforce development organizations with no barriers to entry as part of their hiring process. For example, Stacks & Joules has an Advisory Board of employers whereby they track relationships and how the trainee’s skills are matching industry needs. These partnerships are usually hyper-local, allowing the business to tap into and support the community nearby from a place of authenticity.Unions are also a vital and integrated source of training and quality jobs for job seekers, so funders seeking to make change in this space should consider how to help include local union representatives in any skills-based hiring ecosystem,  to ensure there are not two separate pipelines of talent development (unionized and non-unionized) that are competing for resources and opportunities.

2. Skills built and applied


Insight: Experience needed
Employers for the middle-skill roles seek and value on-the-job experience, and in practice they often will not hire entry-level talent without at least five years of experience. Plus, the field is so fast-moving that some certifications that prospective talent are obtaining through credentialing programs are not able to keep up with the real needs that businesses have.

Solution: Applied learning
Some workforce development organizations have innovated to offer talent not just skills training, but also on-the-job experience, ensuring that talent have the skills that matches pace with industry innovation and the experience that employers are looking for. Innovative organizations like Coalfield Development partner with other businesses to provide career pipelines once trainees have completed their programs, and facilitate connections with community leaders committed to hiring people who face barriers to employment.

3. Support doesn’t stop on day one


Insight: Barriers beyond hiring
One of the key barriers to underserved talent growing in these careers is the lack of ongoing support that acknowledges their life circumstances. Free workforce development placements can be successful in getting people into the jobs, but often lose them due to practical challenges faced by talent with little to no safety net (e.g., like lack of reliable transportation, or not having access to affordable childcare).

Solution: Ongoing support
New human-centered models are being created that are intentional about creating the space and support that underserved talent needs in order to thrive. For example, the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC), is committed to the wellbeing & professional growth of their team: each employee has a unique career path with mandatory and elective training, guided by a coach that is updated annually since people’s interests evolve over time. Acknowledging that their employees also have their own entrepreneurial aspirations and life priorities, ISAIC also gives employees access to the organization’s time (‘Learning Fridays’), space and resources to focus on personal needs. This holistic, talent-centric approach to development and support helps more people to grow in their careers and is good for business too — reducing turnover costs through increased retention and internal promotion.


How funders can help create more inclusive pathways into “green” jobs

Based on our insights, we believe there are four smart ways that funders can help to ensure that a more inclusive and holistic approach to talent hiring and development — including increasing use of skills based hiring — is recognized and practiced as an effective approach to building a talent pipeline within fast growing “green” industries:

  • CREATE HIRING ECOSYSTEMS
    Connecting your network to catalyze local ecosystems of employers, workforce development organizations and (ideally) unions, who can work together to find and support talent to gain the skills they need to thrive in fast growing industries.
  • FUND ACCESS TO APPLIED TRAINING
    Helping expand access for talent to get both skills training and on-the-job experience, particularly in areas where experience is required (explicitly or implicitly) and the industry skills required are evolving fast.
  • SUPPORT HOLISTIC SUPPORT FOR TALENT
    Offering the support needed to scale social enterprises and other talent development partners who can work with employers to provide wrap-around support for talent — including ongoing development opportunities and the space, time and money to allow for changes in circumstances.
  • ACTIVATE NATIONAL POLICY
    Work with your public policy and government relations teams to campaign and drive support for policy that provides adequate public sector funding for workforce development programming, modernized labor market reporting to identify in-demand roles, workers with paid time to develop their skills, and emergency cash relief to give more people the security they need to grow their career, and incentives for employer-based training and workforce partnerships; with a particular focus on low income communities most impacted by the transition to the green economy.

NationSwell Collaboratives build cross-sector coalitions of leaders and experts to advance specific impact priorities, by enabling open collaboration, learning, and cooperation, that breaks down silos and puts equity at the heart of solution-building.

Five Minutes With Shalin Jyotishi, World Economic Forum Fellow

NationSwell Council member Shalin Jyotishi has spent his career advancing solutions at the intersection of workforce, education, and tech. The NationSwell team recently had the opportunity to speak with Jyotishi about the global coalition he’s building through his work at the World Economic Forum, the “downstream impacts” of technological innovations, and how tech can improve the lives of workers.

NationSwell: Congratulations on your new fellowship at the World Economic Forum! Can you talk a bit about the work you’ve done throughout your career, and how it’s informing the work you’re leading now?

Shalin Jyotishi: Thank you! My mission is to help leaders from colleges and universities, companies, and governments solve complex problems where education meets the workforce and where both topics meets scientific and technological innovation as well as public policy. 

I first worked “upstream” in science and technology policy both domestically and internationally with a focus on technological innovation, asking questions like, “Why do governments fund R&D? What’s the best way to fund R&D so society benefits the most? What do optimal public-private sector collaborations look like in R&D? How does R&D translate into technology-based economic development, entrepreneurship, technology transfer, job creation, and workforce development?”

Then, I moved to “midstream” in the technological innovation continium. At the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, I worked with executives from nearly all public research universities in North America to help improve the role of our public universities in maximzing the economic and societal benefits of those government R&D investments – whether it be through talent and workforce development, innovation and entrepreneurship, or or public and community engagement in science.  

These days, my work focuses on the “downstream” impacts of technological innovation. 

At New America, I’m focused on the future of learning and work relating to the innovation economy with a focus on community colleges and new models for career preparation. 

At the World Economic Forum, I’m focused on how employers are responding to emerging technologies entering their workplace, and how workplace technologies can be a “win-win” for employers and employees.

For example, last year, my colleagues and I produced a white paper on the state of play for AI-based tools for HR professionals which laid the foundation for the project I’m leading as a Fellow. My project is focused on empowering companies and their partners to ensure that workplace tech is a “win-win” for employers and employees. 

NationSwell: COVID-19 has completely disrupted the workforce, accelerating us into the future as it exacerbates present-day inequities. Can you talk about the potential you’re seeing in this moment for how tech can improve the lives of workers?

Even before the pandemic, a Gartner study revealed that 50% of surveyed large employers were using nontraditional monitoring techniques which accelerated in the pandemic era as businesses sought to track worker engagement remotely.

Algorithmic management in warehouses and call centers has made work more stressful, grueling, and dangerous. Such technologies have eroded worker privacy, autonomy, and civil liberties.  

However, simple and advanced technologies also nearly singlehandedly carried the world through the height of the pandemic, maintaining and, in some cases, expanding work opportunities, ushering in a new normal for work-life balance enabled by flexible work arrangements for workers of all socioeconomic statuses. 

Workplace technologies can make jobs better or worse. We want to ensure that the former scenario to happen, and we believe now is the optimal time to focus on this issue. 

On one hand there are the labor market conditions: In the United States, the tight labor markets, the national racial reckoning, the flexible work movement, greater attention paid to essential workers and working conditions in general, a new wave of unionization are all well timed with the maturation of a number of workplace technologies rooted in technologies like AI, Internet of Things, and advanced robotics. 

We need to align the conversations of employer competitiveness enabled by technology with that of advancing job quality. Many people want a different world of work than the one we inherited or even shaped before the pandemic.

For technology optimists, this project is an opportunity to clarify the positive impact of workplace tech on employers and workers For technology pessimists, this project is an opportunity to mitigate the negative risks around workplace tech for employers and workers.

While workplace tech may not always be able to improve pay, which to most workers is the most important aspect of job quality, We will be looking at how workplace technologies can improve a number of working condition aspects including: safety; schedule predictability, regularity, and flexibility; non-discrimination and support for disabled workers; employee voice and input; job design; meaningfulness and social value; and career security and growth , such as training and advancement opportunities whether internal or external.

We will be emphasizing how employers can co-design workplace technology implementation strategies with their employees, giving them a say in which technologies are adopted and how. 

NationSwell: What’s your call to action for people reading this profile?

We have brought together a diverse global coalition of business, labor, government, academia, philanthropy, and civil society to address this challenging topic. We will be doing a lot of storytelling and research over the next year.

Please get in touch with me if you would like to contribute. Below are a few examples for each of our constituent groups. Of course, all ideas are welcome. 

  • Employers, technology vendors, and associations: Share stories and case studies of how you have adopted workplace technologies that have led to a “win-win” for workers and the company. 
  • Labor groups and worker voice entities: Share stories and case studies of how you have enabled workers to co-create workplace technology implementation strategies alongside employers. 
  • Policymakers and stakeholders: Get in touch on enacted or proposed policy solutions or even ideas to help ensure that the “win-win” scenario for workplace scenarios is actionable.
  • Academics, think-tanks, philanthropy and civil society: Share your research around how workplace technologies can lead to a “win-win” scenario for employers and employees.

To learn more about the NationSwell Council, visit our hub.

Learnings from NationSwell’s event on the Future of Work

A mass exodus from jobs fueled by burnout, compensation, competition, and turnover have created previously unthinkable situations for employers, with many now scrambling to retain the talent they have on hand.

But amidst all the chaos is a pivotal moment, and a question: What types of structures, policies and treatments would we like to see in our workplaces going forward, and how can we use this opportunity to shape the future of work for decades to come?

In the hopes of getting answers to those questions and more, NationSwell Council member Lydia Loizides, president and founder of Talentedly, started a body of work in 2021, in collaboration with the NationSwell Council that has grown as the future of work rapidly evolves. Lydia has run surveys with leaders from the NationSwell Council two years in a row, followed most recently by a conversation on May 25th with NationSwell’s community of cross-sector and cross-industry leaders. 

During our May 25 working group, members reviewed the results of the 122 organizations and leaders who responded to the 2022 survey and discussed what workers should be advocating for in service of creating happier, hybrid, and holistic workplaces– and how employers can anticipate what will attract and retain talent in an increasingly competitive market.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the survey and resulting discussion.


Employers are already offering flexible work schedules, but what workers want most is better compensation.

Over 76% of respondents said that their employers had begun offering remote work possibilities as a benefit to increase job satisfaction, and the same percentage said that employers had also worked to improve their communication strategies in order to better communicate the company’s vision, business strategy and more. But when asked which benefits they thought employees should be offering to help employees cope during the pandemic, 46.7% of respondents said better compensation — something only about half of respondents said their company was already offering.

A surprising number of respondents said that their employers were already engaging in “open hiring” practices

Of those surveyed, 36 respondents said that their company was already utilizing “open hiring” — an inclusive recruiting method whereby prospective employees add their name to a list rather than submitting a traditional resume and cover letter. Crucially, open hiring models also omit the background checks and interviews that other companies usually require, eliminating critical points where human bias and discrimination can typical seep into the hiring process.

Most respondents agreed that employers should provide low or no cost access to formal education.

Of the respondents surveyed, 55% said that they believed that employers should provide at least some form of educational access to employees. Certain companies have already modeled how this might be possible: Starbucks, for example, offers employees the option to enroll in the Starbucks College Achievement Plan (SCAP), which enables U.S. employees the opportunity to earn their first-time bachelor’s degree with the company paying for 100% of their tuition.

With high schools currently suffering massive dropout rates as a result of the pandemic, the ability to recapture workers into non-traditional education pipelines will likely become an increasingly critical point of discussion.

Burnout is still affecting employees’ willingness to stay at their jobs — but there’s a catch

Although pandemic-induced feelings of burnout and overwhelm are still dogging workers and fueling high turnover rates, those rates are often influenced by workers having a positive outlook and also perceiving their employer as being an active listener, their turnover intention goes down and they are more likely to be collaborative organizationally.

Job credentialing needs a facelift

Responses to a question about whether non-college credentials were just as valuable to their employers as a college degree were scattershot, suggesting that a very specific perception of education as it relates to capability in the workforce still exists.

There was, however, a strong agreement among respondents that certain skills, including critical thinking and adaptability, tend to be more important than certain hard skills in ensuring day-to-day success on the job.

The perception of the biggest threats to job security over the next 25 years include education, automation, and public policy.

When asked what they believed the biggest threats to job security would be in five years vs. 25 years, respondents included post-secondary and K-12 education, AI automation and technology, and public policy — particularly as it relates to the urban/rural divide.


The NationSwell Council community brings together a diverse, curated community of bold individuals and organizations leading the way in social, economic, and environmental problem-solving. Learn more about the Council here.

Learnings and insights from the NationSwell Council’s multi-part series on burnout

According to a brief released by the World Health Organization, incidences of anxiety and depression have rocketed up 25% globally, an increase which can largely be attributed to the unprecedented stress, social isolation, and logistical barriers to mental health resources caused by the pandemic.

Remote work and learning have presented their own set of challenges, particularly around caregiving and productivity, and feelings of overwhelm and emotional exhaustion have intensified apace. It’s no wonder that so many of us are struggling with unprecedented levels of burnout that have left us feeling unmotivated, overworked, and directionless.

In an effort to offer support, surface insights, and encourage solutions-sharing, NationSwell Council members met for a five-part event series over the course of two months that aimed to shed light on the unique ways burnout has impacted leaders and team members of different cohorts: single parents, leaders of color, educators, healthcare workers, nonprofit leaders, and the CEOs and founders of companies.

In observation of Mental Health Awareness month, we are sharing some of the most compelling, actionable insights and learnings from this series.


Carving out intentional spaces for joy can be a radical act in a society that constantly demands more of us:

While our society tends to put a premium on productivity and “hustle culture,” being prepared to do the work for the long haul must necessarily involve some self-sustaining practices — such as carving out dedicated time and space for joy.

If burnout is, by definition, a sort of mental and physical collapse, then mitigation tactics won’t be enough to combat its spread; we’ll also need to go on the offensive, prioritizing our mental and physical health in more deliberate ways. One way to do that is to be more conscious about reminding ourselves that we have a right to wellness, and that something as simple as prioritizing joy is not a waste of time or a drain on productivity.

“Joy helps connect us to the bigger purpose and reminds us that this fight has been around for generations — our generation can only do so much,” one member said. “Without joy, the fight can become toxic — we can become toxic — if we don’t remember that what we’re really fighting for is the chance for future generations to experience joy.”

Addressing burnout must include concrete policies that address historic and systemic inequities:

In the summer of 2020, people around the U.S. flocked to the streets to protest the murder of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, at the hands of police. The demonstrations were an example of how trauma can compound — and how, even as the pandemic has worn on, the politics of education, DEI, the pushback against critical race theory, and many, many more social factors have wound up fueling burnout.

During our session for leaders of color, members expressed skepticism about the usefulness of coaching and resilience training, which is often implemented in workplaces specifically as a way for BIPOC to deal with burnout.
“It raises the question of what resilience is — I can pull my bootstraps up if I need to, but that might not be the thing that helps me to grow and thrive in this environment,” one member said.

Members stressed the need for systemic changes over superficial programs, including corporate advocacy for the expansion of voting rights, more diverse hiring practices, and promoting and hiring more BIPOC employees into leadership roles.

Working parents are feeling the stresses of the pandemic — but their workplaces can actually be a bulwark against burnout.

During the huddle for working parents, members relayed the particular challenges they’d faced in being suddenly thrust into an environment where they had to perform what essentially amounted to two jobs: full-time caregiving and their careers.

“Especially during the pandemic, I just realized I just couldn’t do the things I used to be able to do,” one member said. “I had carefully constructed this web of caregivers and neighbors, and that all went away in the course of two weeks. I was so struck by the fact that I had these resources in terms of dollars, flexibility at work, a network of support, time, and I still couldn’t figure out a way to make my life work in the same way that it had before.”

Members in each group stressed the rising numbers of single parents entering the workforce, and said that employers on the whole need to be more conscientious about creating a destigmatized work environment that offers dedicated resources for parents, including flexible work hours and advocacy for universal childcare programs, like the plan for free, high-quality pre-K outlined in the Democrats’ Build Back Better Act.

Workplaces need to put the same premium on mental health benefits that they do on physical health programs.

Many members said that the pandemic highlighted the need for more dedicated mental health resources in the workplace, and said that the creation of such tools would facilitate a better workflow for preventing burnout.

Letting your team know that you prioritize mental health, and modeling that mental health as well, can be an actionable way to make others feel less isolated and more advocated for. Some mental health resources that were recommended include: workshops to address depression; stress management seminars that teach techniques such as mindfulness and breathing exercises; more flexible policies around working hours and paid leave; and affinity groups that provide teams with a sense of community and understanding.

Tweaking how we think about work won’t be enough — it’s time for a massive overhaul.

The concept of the 9 – 5 workday might have been widely accepted in the time before Covid, but the advent of remote work and a rapidly shifting social landscape, among other things, have necessitated a closer look at the old way of doing things.

From radically transformed caregiving expectations to the elimination of the morning commute, the workday just doesn’t progress the same way it used to. Many members argued that the implementation of new technologies make it easier than ever to get work done on a more flexible schedule — which companies should sign on to if they want employees who are happier and more productive.

“I may not be here from 9-5 every day, but if you know I’m doing good work and I’m going to get it done, that shouldn’t matter,” one member said. “We’re all better when we can show up to work and be present.”

To combat ‘founder burnout,’ don’t innovate: anchor yourself in the ordinary.

Members in our sessions for nonprofit leaders and founders in particular discussed ‘founder burnout’: the real and widespread phenomenon that sees leaders feel the need to take care of everyone and cater to the interests of multiple constituents at once, often at the expense of their own mental health.

“From a founder perspective it’s not the ridiculous hours that get me, it’s the fact that [work] is just always in my head,” one member said.

For nonprofit leaders, it can sometimes feel like the ‘work can’t wait,’ or that taking time to slow down inherently comes at the expense of vulnerable and underserved communities.

In order to combat feelings of overwhelm, nonprofit leaders advocated for “little moments of ordinariness” — sharing a piece of music during staff calls, or requests to drop whatever is on team members’ minds that day into the chat.

“Instead of this all-or-nothing approach, trying to find a middle path where we know that there’s this emotional charge pulling at us, but we also know we’re going to operate on both ends of the spectrum,” one member said.

Mental health is physical health — which means physical self-care can help.

A critical way to mitigate burnout is to pay attention to the ways it shows up in the body. Just like any other type of stress or anxiety, feelings of overwhelm can manifest as physical sensations, and taking the time to properly address these symptoms can help us to get a handle on our discomfort.

Going for a walk or a run, taking a long bath, and even giving or receiving hugs are all ways to physically tend to ourselves in order to reduce the effects of burnout. Similarly, techniques like mindfulness and breathwork can help us to maintain composure in the moment rather than taking our stress out on whoever’s nearby.

“Pay attention to what your nervous system is telling you — when I’m super activated, I take 30 seconds to pause before I go into my next interaction,” one member said. “This helps you to acknowledge where you are, to notice when you’re in a heightened state.”

Focusing on your own needs first can actually better prepare you to take care of others in the long run.

The uncertainty of our current moment has created a state of constant emergency, one where the sirens are always blaring and our priorities are always shifting. For some, that need to constantly be pivoting towards putting out different fires has been draining and overwhelming.

“I feel like the entire world keeps changing every 90 days, and I have to keep adapting my organization and strategy around it. It just won’t stop,” one member said. “Every time I think it will, something new happens, and that constant churn has been exhausting.”

In moments of crisis, it’s important to remember the old self-care maxim of ‘putting your own oxygen mask on before helping others’. No matter how quickly you’re rushing to address a problem, if your children, colleagues, friends or community members are getting a frayed version of you, nothing will be addressed comprehensively. The simple act of asking ‘What do I want,” or ‘What do I need right now’ — even if it feels selfish or uncomfortable in the moment — can help you to reclaim your power and stay in control.


The NationSwell Council community brings together a diverse, curated community of bold individuals and organizations leading the way in social, economic, and environmental problem-solving. Learn more about the Council here.

NationSwell’s 40×40 Mentorship Challenge Recap

Markle’s call to action is timely: An estimated two million women in the United States reportedly lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic, many of whom are still struggling to regain their footing in a labor market that has been radically transformed. Although men also experienced upheaval during the pandemic, job and income losses disproportionately affected women, according to a policy brief released by the International Labor Organization, partly because they are over-represented in some of the hardest-hit sectors and partly because of their tendency to be the ones performing certain types of unpaid labor, including caregiving. Markle said that she hoped mentoring the women endeavoring to reenter the labor market would create a “ripple effect” across communities and the working world, better positioning them to stand in their power and advance their professional lives.

Inspired by the Duchess of Sussex’s call to action, a NationSwell Council affinity group for gender justice organized a similarly-styled challenge, asking members to donate 40 minutes of their time to support and connect with another working woman on the Council. We followed up afterwards to see how those conversations went — here’s what our members had to say:


Violette de Ayala, founder and CEO of FemCity, said that the majority of her 40×40 conversations centered around balancing both work and life commitments. 

“So many of the women I met made significant shifts in their careers in order to have greater social impact in their communities and in the world… Every conversation was filled with vibes of ‘how do we impact the globe more within our realm and scope of connections and capabilities.’ Collaboration was a key component after each conversation… Within the various titles, organizations, and brands we all run, we had so much in common. It is apparent that we are all humans trying to make the world a better place while finding joy and friendships along the way.”

Stephanie Dodson Cornell, venture partner at Draper Richards Kaplan, said that her conversation was so lovely that the time “flew by”:

“We are going to talk again in a month. I was struck by the strong current of recognition I felt with Alina, despite our very different backgrounds, ages, and experiences.”

Sara Allan, director of early learning and education pathways at the Gates Foundation, said that she quickly realized that the most valuable type of conversation isn’t always work-related:

“We discovered we had immigrated to the US and lived in New York at the same time and share a passion for expanding opportunity for women and other historically disadvantaged groups. We exchanged articles on topics of interest related to supporting young people to thrive and fostering stronger and more diverse executive teams. It was a great connection and I look forward to meeting her in-person at a future Nationswell event.”

Rachel Hutchisson, a current board member at Common Impact and the Blackbaud Giving Fund, said that being matched with another NationSwell member through the 40×40 initiative was, “a moment to remember how wonderful it is to meet someone new without feeling like there was an agenda or goal to accomplish.”  

“I so valued the chance to talk to someone new, to explore intersections, to laugh and to leave feeling emotionally and intellectually fed… We talked about the importance of helping others cultivate their speaking skills and helping them get on stages to share their thoughts. This is a leadership skill, and investing in future women leaders means giving them air time.”

Carol King, chief of staff, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, had a great conversation with her contact about nonprofits and mission-driven work — and they’re even planning a trip to Antarctica together in two years!.

“We talked about our respective career paths, and how important it is to keep an open mind when it comes to new opportunities. The most important thing that women can do is to build their networks and strong professional relationships. We are positioned to be good mentors, connectors, and conveners, and I’m mindful of how important my professional reputation and relationships are in changing jobs or even careers.”

Babita Patel, author of “Breaking Out in Prison,” spoke to her connection about everything from being a Council member to some of the overlap in the work they do. 

“The conversation was not necessarily focused on two women connecting, but rather just two humans working in this space connecting. It was nice to talk to someone who is in another part of the country, having a different experience…living in Arizona vs NYC. We definitely want to connect some more to share more resources and opportunities.”

Mohini Tadikonda, chief advancement officer at Movement Strategy Center, used her time as an opportunity to connect with her contact about what it means to be a woman of color in the workplace:

“I walked away from the conversation with a greater confirmation that being a person of color, particularly a woman of color working in a predominantly white organization, can present a unique layer of challenges regarding visibility, trust, respect, power dynamic, ability to be heard/listened to/valued that become less of an issue when working in a truly racially diverse environment. Unhealthy competition and power dynamics are often created when there are only a few women or people of color represented in a work environment. The power dynamic between white women and women of color in the workplace is also a topic that warrants a deeper conversation.”

Meredith Davis and her contact had a conversation that went so well, they immediately scheduled a follow-up, discussing everything from finding your own resonant leadership style to how to communicate and reinforce that style during times of opportunity.

“We also connected on being full-time working mothers, and what example we want to set for our daughters. In the realm of supporting working women, we discussed empowering our children through Montessori education themes of independence, ‘following the child,’ and having the humility to learn from our children.”

Kibi Anderson, Content, Strategy & Business Development Executive and Professional Development Coach, said that she and the woman she connected with are “totally BFFs going forward,” and stressed that the exercise was especially helpful for busy folks who wouldn’t normally go out of their way to reach out to their networks.

“We bonded over our shared desires to encourage more uncomfortable conversations, especially between female groups around the topics of equity, inclusion, diversity and how we have become so polarized as a society. We honestly were so focused on the joy of sharing our personal journeys that we didn’t really dive into much professional jargon during our call, which was actually refreshing because we connected more on a human level.”

The people-focused company: Why age diversity matters more than you think

The good news for business is that the balance sheet equation of “assets minus liabilities equals equity” can be influenced by the assets inherent in an age-inclusive workforce.


A multigenerational workforce yields a stronger pipeline of talent, strengthens business continuity, and helps companies close the labor shortage gap. Studies overwhelmingly show that age diversity has a positive effect on creativity, innovation, strategic thinking, and the ability to collaborate on complex decision-making. Between 2007-2009, while the S&P 500 declined by 35.5%, companies that were more age-diverse posted a 14.4% gain. And after the Great Recession, recovery by age-inclusive companies outperformed the S&P by nearly four times.

In more recent history, age discrimination against workers over age 50 cost our economy $850 billion in 2018. In other words, discrimination stifles economic growth, which hurts all of us. The economic contribution of the older population could increase by $3.9 trillion annually in a no-age bias economy. 

A multigenerational workforce isn’t just good for business and the economy, it’s good for humans’ well-being. Studies show that working past age 65 is linked to better health and longevity, and workers in age-inclusive companies report more satisfaction across the board.


Create a new set of assumptions

As Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic writes in the Harvard Business Review, “No matter how diverse the workforce is, and regardless of what type of diversity we examine, diversity will not enhance creativity unless there is a culture of sharing knowledge.

Knowledge kept in silos can spell the end of an organization. Shareholders and stakeholders in public and private organizations must ask about and ensure the organization is fostering a culture of contributing ideas and having their knowledge shared across generations to achieve a greater purpose.  

Organizational inclusion planning must be implemented with the goal of age diversity in mind. Organizations also must look at their knowledge infrastructure and internal communications to ensure paths to innovation.

Change is constant in business, and innovation is not just for products.  For years, we’ve been saying that performance matters and leadership matters, and that continues to hold true. What also holds true is that, when you measure performance as what you achieve — instead of what your job title is, — it creates a ripple effect that satisfies shareholders, benefits customers, and meets the needs of employees.

It’s time for a new set of norms and assumptions in 2022, one where we evolve are already evolving diversity, equity, and inclusion to include access. People of all races and ages must be given access so that there can be equity, diversity, and inclusion.


Action steps for impact

There are four things every leader must build into their firm’s strategic plans to foster multigenerational workforce success:

1. Know that business is personal

If we’ve learned nothing else in the past two years, we’ve learned that it’s not businesses that drive results — it’s people. Systems can be automated and work styles can evolve, but the inherently human traits of ethics, intrinsic motivation, empathy, instinct, and discernment drive and maintain business success. These are skills that only improve with experience and age. Tech can make products and outcomes derived from those human traits more efficient, but it can’t replace it.

2. Prioritize age and experience inclusion

Employees age 50 and over are key drivers in the success of multigenerational teams. They contribute to expanding the breadth and depth of knowledge sharing. And, they value applied learning, create encore careers, and thrive in entrepreneurship and small business job creation. Employers, business leaders, community leaders, and grassroots movements must incentivize policies and programs that eliminate ageism while doing away with the perception that a job candidate is “overqualified”.  

3. Focus on the three new Rs: Recruitment, Retention, and Reconnection

2021 was all about the Great Resignation and Retirement, as millions of workers left their companies in search of what’s next. The companies that will succeed in the future are the ones that will spend 2022 ushering in a new era of the Great Recruitment, Retention, and Reconnection. These companies will source and recruit employees of all ages, races, and cultures to drive innovation and be rewarded for their work.

4. Change is the only constant, so break the rules and change big

Even well-established organizations with household names need to stay fresh, flexible, adaptive, and innovative. By building workplace culture that embraces and encourages change and integrates experiences and expertise across multiple generations, successful organizations will not only meet customers where they are, but will elevate them to where they need to go next.


We must hold businesses accountable when it comes to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. And we must educate ourselves on inherent and learned age bias and ageism practices so that they, too, can be eliminated from the workplace.

Delivering increased and impactful shareholder ROI depends on a variety of economic measurements, all of which can be enhanced and strengthened by an age-inclusive workforce. Recruiting, retaining, and rewarding intergenerational success pleases stakeholders and increases an organization’s equity and value.