The researchers' answers to the questions were compiled and merged, with their names included where they wanted to emphasize their unique perspectives.
Before we start discussing the research, could we hear about the Nonviolent Center from you?
As the Nonviolence Education and Research Association (Nonviolence Center), we dream of a world without violence in every situation. We define this dream as a world where human rights and freedoms are protected, and societal peace and democracy are established. We believe that human rights defenders and grassroots organizations are the most important actors in reaching this vision; thus, we develop empowering programs to ensure these groups adopt nonviolent methods and use them effectively.
Since 2015, we have been working on raising awareness, developing skills, and increasing the capacity of organizations in the fields of LGBT+ rights, women's rights, environmental struggles, peace efforts, and human rights.
How did you decide to focus on well-being in rights-based organizations?
Employees of rights-based organizations often have to cope with heavy workloads, limited resources, and societal pressures. These challenges have detrimental effects at both individual and organizational levels. We believe that well-being-based approaches will enhance internal solidarity in organizations and create a more nonviolent and supportive work environment. This research started with a curiosity to understand what rights-based civil society organizations in Turkey are doing at the organizational level to promote the well-being of their employees, volunteers, and members.
What is the scope and goal of the Well-Being Research?
C.K.: We aimed to look at the experiences of rights-based civil society organizations in Turkey from the perspective of "organizational well-being." We tried to understand what creative practices exist, even though they are not widespread in organizations, and how they provide resources or, conversely, what common needs organizations share.
HBD: How? We sent out survey invitations to rights-based organizations, and then conducted in-depth interviews with some of the survey participants. A total of 118 people participated in the survey. The organizations of the participants are located in cities such as Ankara, Çanakkale, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Edirne, Istanbul, Izmir, and Rize. In addition to the surveys, we also conducted semi-structured interviews with 22 people, considering gender distribution, age, positions in the organization, and diversity across cities.
C.K.: Based on what we saw and heard, we started to look for positive examples that could strengthen organizational well-being, how to overcome the challenges, and what better examples there are. There were productive discussions. We aimed to participate in these and make what we have visible and discussable. We think that this way, both organizations and the related stakeholders who aim to strengthen organizational well-being in civil society organizations will find it easier to take this issue into account.
MB: We approached the concept of well-being with the idea of nonviolent organizing and aimed to identify factors affecting the well-being of employees in the balance between work and life and offer solutions for improvement. We included rights-based civil society organizations in the scope as a sample.
“When the organization’s way of working, decision-making mechanisms, how it responds to situations, and the steps it will take in the face of risks are clear, employees feel more secure."
What are the key findings of the research? In which areas are problems encountered?
C.K.: We chose to analyze the organizational well-being experience by relating it to a framework that we developed for organizations, which includes organizational structure, organizational culture, environmental factors, and cognitive characteristics. I will respond based on those categories: Environmental factors are experiences related to the structure of the organization. Negative experiences were concentrated in environmental factors where the impact was more limited. In particular, we can mention relations with the state and those in power. Working on the basis of rights, conducting campaigns, and raising objections naturally brings one into conflict with the authorities. In an environment where any confrontation quickly leads to criminalization and even targeting, activists feel trapped. This has both negative and positive effects on organizational well-being. We saw that it triggered conflicts within the organizational culture, but at the same time, it led to solidarity and creative security measures in response to risks from the environment.
Another example of environmental factors is that we are going through an economic crisis. The inadequacy of these resources increases the workload. In many ways, the limitations of the organization's resource model and new challenges such as the increase in the culture of sacrifice bring difficulties to the organization in many different areas in terms of organizational well-being. Like environmental factors, uncertainties about the organization's structure, communication flow, spatial arrangement, or the rights of activists within the organization may be more concrete and easier to identify, and we have heard about negative experiences that affect the opinions reflected in the survey. Of course, in these areas, the challenges are easier to describe. Because they are based on concrete and understandable experiences, either from outside or within the organization. The areas where we can identify problems intensely tell us something, so we need to think about this.
It is important to keep in mind that there are also deeper issues that are more difficult to identify. From my perspective, examples of disclosure and how they are handled in terms of organizational well-being are examples of this. We have reached a point in the discussion where we recognize that sanction mechanisms based on shared values and ethical principles in advocacy can support organizational well-being. When addressing widespread disclosure incidents, I believe that, in addition to accountability and solidarity with victims, there is a need for compensatory and even preventive mechanisms.
Sanction mechanisms based on shared values and ethical principles in advocacy can support organizational well-being
HBD: When we think about rights-based CSOs, we assume that they are structures that share certain principles and values. If the organization's working methods, decision-making mechanisms, how it responds to certain situations, and how it will take steps in the face of risks are clear, then employees feel more secure. This increases people's commitment to the organization and their well-being. In addition, if people can find spaces where they can express themselves in their work environment, exist within the group with their identity, and speak in their native language, this has a positive effect on their well-being. It is also important to add inclusive, child-friendly, and accessible office conditions that meet the needs of employees to this list.
Continuing with the work environment and conditions, another prominent finding is that hybrid and flexible working models have become permanent in most organizations after the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with flexibility, the positive contributions of being able to continue working not only from home but also from different cities and countries are evident. Employees and managers said that this way of working had a positive impact on their work and that the responsibility of being able to determine their own time increased initiative and mutual trust within the organization. In addition, those who continued to work in the office frequently emphasized the need to organize the workplace in a way that takes into account the well-being of employees. This study revealed how vital it is to have spaces where employees can be alone, take breaks, and relax in a comfortable chair.
What was the most surprising finding during the research process?
HBD: Almost everyone who participated in the discussion was clearly aware that Turkey is an uncertain and risky country, especially in light of the recent earthquake and various other disasters. However, I was very surprised to see that the vast majority of associations did not have any plans in place to prepare for risks. Of course, there are exceptions to this generalization. For example, I remember that everyone working at an LGBT+ association had already given power of attorney to the association's lawyer. Another surprising thing was the breadth of thought that some of our “I agree” and “I disagree” statements opened up among the participants. I think this study contributed more than I expected to raising awareness about well-being, in addition to gathering participants' experiences.
C.K.: To be honest, when I move toward a new conceptualization, I believe it's necessary to be critical — and that’s where I position myself as well. In the interviews, I expected more objections. What surprised me was that even those who said 'I have strong biases' still looked at what they could take from this for their organization. I thought there would be a curiosity about organizational well-being, but also a bit of a search for arguments and a need to be convinced. I can't quite call it 'not being ready.' It’s more like: 'What am I entitled to, and to what extent? It would help if the framework was a bit clearer.' There’s a sense of grappling with difficulties, trying to develop strategies, and the recurring question: 'Who will be responsible for this?' Add this to the to-do list for the new workweek: 'Organizational well-being project.' (laughs) Of course, as we discussed earlier, there are the underlying struggles behind this.
My second surprise, and also something I had to face, was that quick solutions did not come in areas that were quickly identified. The importance of inclusiveness in terms of organizational well-being was mentioned in the interviews. Let me give an example from there. As I mentioned earlier, physical arrangements or conservatism in organizational communication are identified quickly because they are based on very concrete data. The desire to confront the situation and make changes is sincere... However, it is also said that nothing has changed for years. Inclusive measures and arrangements that could be addressed under physical barriers and diversity of development are not being implemented, even if they are simple. There is much to review even in the funding application systems of institutions that provide funding in these areas of rights. The supportive add-ons of social media applications are not well known. These issues are acknowledged but still seem unsolvable. Alternative solutions and creativity are not coming into play. I was surprised to find a lack of information sharing despite the solidarity and communication between organizations.
“We hope that organizations will take concrete steps toward organizational well-being, adopt and disseminate good practices in this area, and strengthen a culture of solidarity.”
What impact do you expect this research to have on organizations?
We expect this research to bring the issue of well-being to the agenda in organizations and raise awareness about the well-being of employees. We believe that the findings of the report will guide organizations in assessing their own working conditions and help them identify areas for change. We also hope that organizations will take concrete steps toward organizational well-being, adopt and disseminate good practices in this area, and strengthen their culture of solidarity. Finally, we expect stakeholders to recognize the importance of this issue and support organizations in their well-being processes.
What recommendations would you make to increase well-being in rights-based organizations?
C.K: During this process, the phrase that kept repeating in my mind was “construction, not repair or improvement.” Organizations' agreement on the intention to develop organizational well-being means structuring themselves in line with their needs. This is true; it requires a planned, multidimensional effort. Because we need to look at the fact that the needs of organizations will differ from one another. Effort, in this context, means not only creating space, identifying needs, and helping those within the organization recognize their unique resources, but also bringing them to the surface and supporting them with structural mechanisms. This can transform organizational culture and all external relationships... It can make their lives much easier in an instant. Let's not paint a rosy picture, of course. Some organizations may first need support in conflict resolution to achieve organizational well-being. Taking steps in this direction is better than putting it off.
To increase well-being, understanding the needs within the organization and creating spaces where these needs can be freely expressed is a good place to start. As Cansu said, the important thing is to start where you can. Developing fair and equitable practices, establishing transparent communication, and strengthening organizational solidarity are important steps in this process. As rights-based organizations, we have a lot to learn from each other. For ideas on how to strengthen solidarity, check out the 'Organizational Solidarity Handbook for Organizational Well-being'.
Even small routines and activities can make a big difference
Did you have any experiences during the research process that increased your awareness of well-being or changed your perspective?
HBD: Before participating in this research, I thought that macro-level resources, decisions, and practices were needed to support well-being in an organization. I would say that this view has been expanded by some of the participants' contributions to the research. I had the opportunity to see how even small routines and activities that become part of the organizational culture are important for employees. I was already aware of the importance of starting to discuss these issues within the team even without a budget, but my focus on this topic has definitely grown significantly. I observed that open communication, being heard, having one's efforts seen and appreciated are critical within an organization.
C.K: I also had concerns about the functioning of the individual well-being perspective within the system. I held the rights perspective on organizational well-being, but I wanted to turn the issue around in my mind, and my learning area expanded greatly during the research. In terms of practice: I realized that the easy part of organizational well-being is identifying problems and needs. On the other hand, when we asked the people we interviewed what they were doing well or how they solved the problems described, we encountered small touches and creative solutions. I found myself wondering if we might not be able to share the resources we have at our disposal when we experience difficulties. This was followed by complaining less about what was going on around me. I think I'm focusing more on how to do things... I heard examples of how a phone call when someone was sick made them feel better, or the impact of asking “how are you?” I may have started doing more of what older people call “courtesy,” which I sincerely consider signs of solidarity.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We thank you for your contributions and sharing, which have made this work stronger. We believe that talking about organizational well-being and learning together will strengthen the culture of solidarity. We believe that every step taken in this direction will contribute not only to the transformation of organizations but also to the social structures we are part of. Thank you!
