On Our Minds
By Nakia James-Jenkins (she/her) and Brian Rodriguez (he/him)
Brian Rodriguez is the Head of People and Culture at Hopelab, an organization serving as a researcher, investor, and convener supporting equity-centered solutions for the mental health and well-being of Black, Brown, and Queer young people. This piece was developed in collaboration with Nakia James-Jenkins, an On-Ramps Partner, as a shared reflection on how they’re each approaching organizational care in this moment.
In a political and cultural moment that feels increasingly volatile, building and sustaining organizational community has never been more critical—or more complicated. At On-Ramps and Hopelab, we've found ourselves asking hard questions: How do we take care of our teams effectively? How do we balance competing expectations? How do we stay rooted in our values without losing sight of practical realities?
We’ve come together to share some of the practices and approaches that have helped us navigate these questions. And while the ideas in this piece are far from a cure-all, we think it’s important to share our reflections on what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what we’re still learning. Consider it a playbook (or a pulse check) for thinking about organizational care in the present moment.
1. Lead with intentionality, not assumptions.
When you care deeply about the issues your community is facing, it’s easy to want to fix things quickly. You jump into action with your best intentions, and sometimes you get it right. Other times, you miss the mark and what feels like care from the top can land as performative, disconnected, or even tone-deaf if it isn’t grounded in real input.
That’s why we always start by listening. We gather input in all kinds of ways: pulse surveys, one-on-ones, Slack threads, side conversations, post-retreat debriefs. We pay attention to patterns. We ask, “Have you heard this from others too?” And ultimately, we bring curiosity before we try to bring solutions.
And when it comes time to design—whether it’s a policy, a benefit, or anything in between—we work to make sure it reflects what we’ve heard, not what we assumed. Care only works when it starts (and ends) with that kind of intentionality.
2. Let people define community for themselves.
People come to work wanting different things. Some are looking for deep connection. Others value clear boundaries. And many fall somewhere in between, though what that looks like can vary a lot from person to person.
That’s why we don’t try to build a single version of community. Instead, we make room for people to define it for themselves. That might mean offering optional spaces to process, connect, or reflect. It might mean making sure no one feels pressured to share or participate just to prove they care. In the end, flexibility, trust, and respect go a long way.
3. Refocus on what matters most.
If everything feels urgent, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s truly essential. But when resources are tight and the pressure is high, thoughtful prioritization becomes a form of protection for our people and for the work we do.
We come back to a few grounding questions: Where can we move the needle most? What’s ours to hold? What can wait—or be let go? Staying clear on our purpose helps us make the hard calls, adjust expectations, and move forward with integrity.
Because, at the end of the day, the goal isn’t doing everything. It’s doing everything we can, and making sure we’re able to continue to do more.
4. Grow with a changing world, not against it.
Remote and hybrid work have changed how we connect—and forced us to be more deliberate.
We anchor around intentional touchpoints: in-person retreats, virtual gatherings, and tools that help bridge distance. But we also recognize that platforms can overwhelm as easily as they connect. Setting expectations for how people use them, and building in space to disengage, helps avoid burnout.
The shift to hybrid work also made it clear how much people rely on clarity. We’ve had to be more transparent about decisions, priorities, and even our own uncertainty. That push has made us better: more effective, more aligned, and more aware of what people actually need to feel informed and included.
5. Make feedback actionable.
We’ve all heard it: “Let us know what you think,” followed by radio silence as your input gets lost behind everything else demanding attention.
That kind of performative feedback loop erodes trust and stalls progress. So when people speak up—about a tool that isn’t working, a policy that’s confusing, or a process that feels misaligned—we listen, reflect, and most importantly, act.
Some of our most meaningful changes have started that way. We’ve shifted how we train, introduced new ways to connect as a team, and adjusted how we communicate. And while every idea doesn’t become an initiative, each one helps us see more clearly and keep working toward something better.
6. Redefine resilience.
When care is ineffective—or too inconsistent to count on—people burn out or disengage. And our work suffers the consequences. It’s not enough to consider resilience a matter of just pushing through. At its most effective, resilience is really about creating (and maintaining) the conditions that allow people to stay grounded and pause when they need to.
That means reinforcing that rest and recovery are part of the job. Encouraging time off. Respecting offline hours. Creating space in the day to reset or step away. This is the infrastructure that protects the long-term health of our teams and our missions.
Resilience takes root when people have purpose in their work, real connections with others, and enough agency to shape their experience. Practicing care consistently, throughout every part of your process, is what makes that possible.
7. Recognize that care is a long game.
This work is never really done. It changes as your people do. As the world does. As you do. And this set of practices is one we continue to return to, especially when things feel uncertain or strained.
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On-Ramps is a search and consulting firm that serves mission-driven organizations in the social sector. We are deeply committed to helping create diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces. Together with our clients, we thoughtfully consider and address these topics throughout every step in our process.
Want to talk about your hiring needs? Reach out to Michelle Kedem at info@on-ramps.com or 212-924-3434.
