Lodge Labs worked with a youth education client to design an inclusive, human-centered, and realistic organizational compensation policy. We researched a range of policies and emerging best practices, interviewed stakeholders, and identified the type of policy approach that would work best for all while meeting Board needs. The priorities were to attract and keep extraordinary talent, by supporting their well-being. The policy includes:

• Office closures for all staff to enjoy a break to recharge and recenter in between programming.

• Flexible wellness days monthly. These days are designed to tend to any wellness/integrative health related needs. With this policy we designed an accountability framework with communication expectations around the use of these days. This policy is intended to allow realistic space and time for wellness needs like: mental health, menstrual pain, chronic symptoms and conditions, long-term grief, and much more.

• Equitable pay within the non-profit model through a base salary with transparent adjustments for factors like acquired and lived experience, working families, dependents, and annual cost of living increases.

• Process and team training plan to ensure that a trust-based culture is in place to support these progressive policies.

• Trauma-informed care built into the organization's culture, resources, and benefits.

• 32-hour work week constitutes as full-time. Designed the practices and policies to support this paradigm shift in the organization.