Conclusion
The past few years have seen historic employee turnover, which has triggered conversations about how organizations can better support their employees. The results of this study suggest that organizations should focus on improving their organizational culture to reduce burnout. There are several essential steps that organizations in the zoo and aquarium field can take to reduce burnout and support all employees.
First, they should look at their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to ensure their programs create systemic change by recognizing the additional mental weight often placed on historically marginalized communities. Second, organizations should discover ways their employees feel the most recognized and appreciated. This may be through awards, financial incentives, public acknowledgments, or consistent leader feedback. Lastly, organizations should communicate with staff to understand what tasks require the most physical and mental energy and discuss how to shift those responsibilities. Altogether, the results of this survey indicate that clear and transparent communication between staff, leaders, stakeholders, and decision-makers is critical to better understanding employees’ needs and preventing burnout.
Creating equity and justice programs does not stop with displaying public statements or implementing staff trainings. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice initiatives require systemic changes that start at the leadership level.