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Sharlene Frank, Ph.D. is a 2026 graduate of the PhD Program in Leadership and Change at Antioch University.

sharlene frank committee

Sharlene Frank at her Dissertation Defense.

From L-R: Dr. J. Beth Mabry, Committee Member, Dr. Mitchell Kusy, Committee Chair, Dr. Dustin Keller, Committee Member.

Dissertation Committee

  • Mitchell Kusy, PhD, Committee Chair
  • J. Beth Mabry, PhD, Committee Member
  • Dustin Keller, PhD, Committee Member

Keywords

HR professionals, professional well-being, stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, jobs-demands (JD-R) model, multiple roles theory, toxin handler, leadership

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

HR professionals are charged with improving employees’ professional well-being while experiencing disproportionately high levels of stress and burnout (Kelly, 2022). Researchers know that HR professionals experience stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue but we need to learn more about what motivates them to remain in their roles. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study is to explore professional well-being factors among HR professionals in U.S. nonprofits and global NGOs, seeking insights to mitigate stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue. A conceptual framework based on the theories of Jobs-Demand Resources (JD-R) model, multiple roles theory, and Toxin Handler, explored job stressors, available resources, and outcomes experienced by HR professionals. Using a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 HR professionals with five years of HR management experience who faced stress, burnout, and/or compassion fatigue working at U.S.-based nonprofits and U.S.-led global NGOs. Using Saldaña’s (2021) framework, codes were grouped into themes to provide insights into their lived experiences. The findings revealed that professional well-being is promoted by factors operating across three interconnected domains (individual, organizational, and social), each contributing distinct yet complementary sources of support. Individual Factors refer to the personal attributes that prompt inner realignment within HR professionals. Organizational Factors reflect the work environment that support HR professionals. Social Factors encompass the external communities and relationships that care for HR professionals. Cumulatively, the three key findings are the components of the Professional Well-Being Framework (PWBF) for HR professionals. The study’s practical results may be adopted by various stakeholders to positively impact the professional well-being of HR professionals. Individual Factors highlighted the need for HR professionals to assume an internal transformational change. Organizational Factors called for organizations to provide available and accessible resources and Social Factors recognized the champions (family, friends, and HR associations) who cared for HR professionals. For HR professionals, a three-phased approach is recommended to implement this transformational change process: self-awareness, self-empowerment, and self-advocacy. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

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sharlene frank

Sharlene Frank, Ph.D.

ORCID id:  #0009-0002-7633-8297

Sharlene C. Frank is Founder and Principal of Discovery Ventures LLC, an HR and organizational development consulting firm serving nonprofits, global NGOs, and mission-driven organizations. The practice spans organizational development, program evaluation, board governance (including assessments and retreat facilitation), executive coaching, and HR advisory.  

Sharlene holds an Executive MPA from New York University, an MBA from Baruch College, and a BS in Human Resource Management from the City University of New York. She is a certified HR professional (SPHR, GPHR, and SHRM-SCP) and coach (Hudson Institute of Coaching). She brings more than twenty years of leadership at the executive level across nonprofits and global NGOs, much of it building HR functions from the ground up in lean environments. 

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