Q: Employees in my organization are under a great deal of pressure, and I know we’re not alone. We are a nonprofit with leadership that doesn’t appear to appreciate how most of us are feeling. They don’t communicate with us, and our HR person left recently and has not been replaced. We need guidance to get us through the many challenges we’re facing daily. How can I get our leadership to see that we need more support?

A: The past year has created a huge amount of additional stress in people’s lives, and the same is true for organizations. Many are experiencing more strain than they’ve felt in a long time, and—especially in workplaces that have gone virtual—leaders may have become disconnected from their teams and may fail to understand their needs.

To address your concerns, I’d recommend starting with a conversation with your immediate supervisor if you have the kind of relationship where you can be honest. You can do this on Zoom, or in person if you’re back in the office.

Before your meeting, plan the points you want to make. Your question includes several different concerns, so it would be helpful to prioritize them. You may also want to get input from others you trust in the organization. Then practice your presentation until you feel confident that you can deliver the message in a nonemotional way.

Assure your manager that you’re committed to your organization and your members, but share that the current stress level is diminishing your ability to do your best work.

In the meeting, begin by assuring your manager that you’re committed to your organization and your members, but share that the current stress level is diminishing your ability to do your best work. This should set the stage for you to lay out your specific concerns and the actions you think your leaders can take to improve the work experience.

For example, you might suggest that your executive director or another leader hold an all-hands meeting to share what’s happening in the organization and to solicit ideas for how internal communication can be improved. You could also make it clear that staff needs HR support, and so the HR role should be filled as soon as possible.

Also, to help employees deal with high levels of stress, the organization might bring in an expert from the employee assistance program (if you have one) to provide some stress management training. If you don’t have an EAP, check with your healthcare provider—many offer free programs that can make a huge difference in reducing your stress level.