Creating Workplaces That Work for Everyone

This month, Brooklyn Org brought together Dr. Angela Jackson, author of The Win-Win Workplace, and our President & CEO Dr. Jocelynne Rainey for a discussion on how businesses and nonprofits can create workplaces that both support employees and also strengthen their organization’s impact.

Dr. Jackson’s research shows that when employers invest in workers—through fair wages, transportation support, and real opportunities for growth—organizations perform better. “48% of people throughout the U.S. feel their employers don’t care about them. At the same time, employers are saying they’re doing a record amount of listening. But it’s not felt by employees,” Dr. Jackson said. She emphasized that organizations should do more than just listen to employee feedback—they must also act on it in meaningful ways.

Dr. Rainey underscored how relevant these lessons are in Brooklyn, where economic opportunity and equity go hand in hand. She reflected on how the loss of stable, well-paying jobs has impacted local families across generations. “When you think about manufacturing jobs and the disappearance of those, I think about my husband, whose father worked at the Domino factory down the street. That job didn’t require a high school diploma, but it put two kids through college and provided a stable home.”

Key takeaways to make your workplace a ‘Win-Win Workplace’:

• Invest in transportation benefits. “Most people are spending 26% of their after-tax income on transportation,” Dr. Jackson noted. “One company I spoke to began offering transportation in the form of busing as a benefit to every worker, regardless of their ability to pay. As a result, retention increased, productivity increased, and community engagement increased.”
• Center employee voices. Organizations that create real feedback loops—not just suggestion boxes—see higher retention and engagement. “We cannot only allow for good ideas to come from the leadership team,” Dr. Jackson emphasized.
• Reimagine benefits beyond salary. Health care, childcare, and even commuter benefits make a difference. Dr. Jackson shared that in the course of her research, “one company found that 40% of workers miss critical doctor’s appointments because they’re afraid to tell their employer.”
• Develop talent from within. Promoting from within fosters retention and builds stronger organizations over time. Businesses and nonprofits benefit when they invest in leadership training and career pathways for their staff.
• Ensure inclusion is real, not just performative. Employees do better when they don’t have to mask their identities or challenges at work. “In ‘Win-Win Workplaces,’ employers not only listened, but they truly wanted to understand what was most important to the employee,” Dr. Jackson shared.

These ideas aren’t just observations—they provide a roadmap for strategies that can make a real difference for Brooklyn’s businesses and nonprofits. When workplaces support employees, organizations thrive, and communities benefit.

At Brooklyn Org we’re committed to helping nonprofits grow holistically, putting lessons such as these into action by providing robust capacity building programming. We create professional development opportunities for nonprofits to grow their skillsets, center equity, connect with other organizations, and ultimately build strong, supportive workplaces that work for everyone.