Explore every episode of the podcast The Sector

Workin' 9-5? Dolly walked so we could run! This conversation explores the implementation of a four-day work week.

Some members of Impact Organizations of Nova Scotia (IONS), including your host Lydia Phillip, and Teamwork Corporative discuss their experience. Alexandra describes the benefits of having Fridays off, allowing for personal errands and relaxation. Nina from Teamwork shares their experience with a "modern work week," where staff have an admin day on either Monday or Friday, maintaining 37.5 hours while offering flexibility. Challenges included funding constraints and maintaining office coverage. 

Both organizations faced initial resistance but found that the new schedule improved work-life balance and staff morale. The discussion emphasizes the importance of timing and flexibility in implementing such changes.

What do communes and collective leadership have in common? In this episode, we discuss the rise of communal living and what we can learn from co-housing models to reimagine traditional, hierarchal management structures - specifically around the challenges and potential solutions for leadership in the nonprofit sector!  
  
Focus on reducing burnout and increasing equity, IONS' Lydia Phillip, Teri Brezner, and Kristen Faulkner discuss the additional mental load EDs take on and how stereotypical leadership isn't accessible for most people. Kristen shares her journey from entry-level roles to organizational development while highlighting the impact of different leadership styles on staff well-being. Drawing on her experience with co-housing, Teri emphasizes the benefits of collaborative models and the importance of strength-based leadership. The conversation explores the need for transparency, clear decision-making processes, and valuing diverse contributions to foster more sustainable and inclusive leadership models.

Being a leader might not be all it's cracked up to be. We're being tasked to do more with even less. In our first episode, we discuss the challenges in the nonprofit sector, including recruitment and retention issues, burnout amongst Executive Directors, and the need for radical reform. 

Bradley Day and Joelle Badman join your hosts Lydia Phillip and Kristen Faulkner to highlight the importance of equitable recruitment processes and the real-life affects of current funding models on leaders and staff. They emphasize the need for shared leadership, sustainable funding, and human-centred approaches to address these problems. The conversation also touches on the importance of flexibility, joy, and authentic leadership. 

Notable metrics include 23 interviews with executive directors revealing that wages and compensation are major concerns, with many feeling morally conflicted about their roles due to funding constraints.

“Entry level position, 5 years’ experience, post-secondary education required: $15/hour" – no wonder why there’s Quiet Quitting? Gen Z's get a bad rep at work, but what myths need busting? What can we learn from young people at work that contribute to productivity and innovation?
 
Joining your host, Lydia Phillip, guests Haley Moriarity and Rena Kulczycki discuss the importance of mental health, play, transparency, and creating a supportive work environment for all. Haley shares their experience of being a young person at work and advocating for themselves and helping others do the same, highlighting the importance of asking for what you need. Rena emphasizes the value of youth at work, leading to innovation as well as the need for organizations to support young employees through organizational culture, flexible work policies, and mentorship. They argue that young people bring fresh perspectives for necessary change, challenging traditional notions of professionalism and power.