The CORE Workplace Framework
Workplaces thrive when people do. The CORE Workplace Framework was designed to help organizations reduce burnout, retain talent, and build healthier, more sustainable cultures. Whether you're a CEO, an HR leader, or part of the team, CORE offers a roadmap to creating meaningful change that benefits both people and performance.​
A Foundation for Human Sustainability
CORE represents the four foundational pillars of human sustainability at work:
C
Connection & Community
Humans are wired for connection. A sense of belonging, trust, and psychological safety are essential to engaged, innovative teams.
For Leaders:
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Build psychologically safe environments where people can speak honestly without fear.
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Normalize vulnerability and openness at the leadership level.
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Prioritize team cohesion in both in-person and hybrid environments.
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Use tools like employee listening strategies, anonymous feedback, and team rituals.
For the Workforce:
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Participate in building a supportive culture by recognizing others and practicing empathy.
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Join or initiate employee resource groups or affinity spaces.
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Use peer mentoring and connection-focused habits like gratitude or regular check-ins.
Sample Strategies:
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Run regular team connection surveys or emotional check-ins.
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Create a peer recognition program.
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Train leaders in relational communication and emotional intelligence.
O
Opportunity & Growth
Growth is not a luxury. It is the engine of retention and resilience. Organizations must invest in the professional development of their people to remain adaptive and strong.
For Leaders:
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Build clear pathways for advancement and learning.
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Offer leadership shadowing, stretch projects, or rotational roles.
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Ensure equitable access to professional development resources.
For the Workforce:
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Identify growth goals and work with supervisors to align them with business needs.
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Take ownership of upskilling through microlearning, certifications, or mentoring.
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Reflect regularly on your progress and areas for improvement.
Sample Strategies:
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Create development roadmaps for all roles.
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Offer learning stipends or time during work hours for education.
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Facilitate biannual growth conversations for all employees.
R
Resilience & Health
Physical and mental health are foundational to long-term performance. Resilience is not about pushing through but about having systems that support recovery, capacity, and energy.
For Leaders:
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Audit workloads and workflows to reduce burnout triggers.
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Model sustainable work practices, such as taking time off and respecting boundaries.
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Provide access to mental health and wellness support.
For the Workforce:
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Learn and use stress management strategies that work for your nervous system.
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Set clear boundaries and communicate capacity honestly.
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Prioritize recovery time and use benefits available to support health.
Sample Strategies:
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Implement meeting-free focus time or mental health days.
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Train managers in burnout prevention and recognition.
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Provide wellness stipends, coaching, or onsite health options.
E
Equity & Purpose
Sustainable organizations ensure that people feel valued, treated fairly, and connected to work that matters.
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For Leaders:
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Examine systems for bias, inequity, or unclear advancement.
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Communicate how every role connects to larger outcomes or values.
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Celebrate impact at every level, not just the top.
For the Workforce:
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Reflect on how your values align with your work.
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Speak up about fairness gaps and collaborate on solutions.
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Contribute ideas that improve workplace culture or impact.
Sample Strategies:
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Run equity audits across hiring, pay, and promotion.
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Include purpose alignment in onboarding and performance reviews.
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Support employee-led initiatives that contribute to social or community good.
How I Use CORE In My Work
I use the CORE Workplace Framework as the foundation for every engagement I design with districts, nonprofits, and private sector organizations. Whether it is through leadership retreats, workforce training, or strategic consulting, CORE helps guide our shared understanding of what sustainable work looks like and how to build it. Each pillar becomes a lens for identifying strengths and gaps in workplace culture, and then co-creating actionable strategies that lead to lasting change. The framework is flexible enough to adapt to the needs of a specific team while grounded enough to ensure alignment to research and best practice. My goal is not just to help organizations do better work, but to become better places to work—where people thrive, stay, and contribute with purpose.
The CORE of Sustainable Work
The CORE Framework is more than a model. It is a shift in how organizations understand people, seeing them not as resources to manage, but as humans to support. When we build environments where connection, opportunity, resilience, and equity are central, we do more than improve culture...we improve outcomes that matter.