Teaching Paper: Burnout and Wellbeing in NGOs – A Comprehensive Glossary of Terms

The language of burnout and wellbeing in the NGO sector is often inconsistent, leading to fragmented practice and limited cross-organizational learning. This Teaching Paper presents a comprehensive glossary of essential terms used in nonprofit occupational health, resilience, and management. Each entry is defined in academic terms and accompanied by a practical note that translates the concept into actionable insights for NGO leaders, staff, and volunteers. Covering more than forty terms, including psychological constructs (e.g., emotional exhaustion, secondary traumatic stress), organizational mechanisms (e.g., recognition systems, accountability), and structural contexts (e.g., civic space, decent work), this glossary provides a shared vocabulary for scholars and practitioners alike. By clarifying terminology, NGOs can strengthen training, monitoring, and donor reporting, while academics can advance comparative research across diverse contexts.