Date of Graduation

5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Communication

Advisor/Mentor

Leach, Rebecca

Committee Member

Branton, Scotti

Second Committee Member

Velliquette, Anne

Third Committee Member

Pope, Adam

Abstract

Through past literature it has been established that nonprofit employees are prone to experience increased levels of stress and burnout due to the emotionally taxing nature of their jobs. Social support is a communicative transaction between individuals that has been proven to mitigate the negative impacts that both stress and burnout can cause employees to face. Previous studies on social support have focused on healthcare workers and nonprofit volunteers, while this study aims to understand the specific social support structures that are prominent within nonprofit organizations to provide support for employees. This study utilizes structuration theory to explore the structures that nonprofit organizations have created and maintained to provide support for employees. Along with, identifying how nonprofit employees (re)produce support structures through their own actions. 25 semi-structured interviews were conducted with nonprofit employees throughout the research process. The findings from these interviews revealed that nonprofit organizations have developed many social support structures that are valuable to nonprofit employees and similarly employees have (re)produced these structures as well. The primary social support structures found in this research can be categorized by mental health and physical wellness, flexible work arrangements, recognition for good work, and safe spaces (to be heard and seen).

Keywords

social support; nonprofit organizations; nonprofit employees; structuration theory; employees well-being; stress

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