Building a corporate responsibility plan can be challenging, and one of the biggest obstacles can be getting employees interested and engaged in the charitable projects. This is especially true for larger companies, where employees are bit more spread out. While in theory most employees support giving to causes, workplace demands can make charitable giving less of a priority. Trying to build interest in your company's charitable endeavors is clearly a matter of good strategy.
It can be difficult for some employees to visualize a charity or cause that is abstract. For example, programs to enhance literacy can sometimes have difficulty raising money using conventional means. But when speakers who have actually benefited from literacy programs explain to employees the difference the program has made in their lives, workplace giving often increases. The more personal the charity can become to an employee, the greater the likelihood of involvement.
The last thing you want to do is cause division with a workplace giving program, so make sure that you choose a non-partisan cause. Helping children or helping to spread awareness about a specific disease or condition, such as breast cancer, are choices that appeal to a wider base of employees. Rather than choose a cause with a political agenda, select something that employees will feel comfortable about supporting regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum.
Too often, employees only think about worthy causes at specific times of the year, such as the year-end holidays. The reality is that these charitable programs need assistance all year long. By keeping the issues involved with the causes at the forefront of employee engagement on a consistent basis, your workplace giving program will be more successful in getting participation year round.
Social media provides you with an excellent resource to build pride in charitable giving programs. When employees take part in a charitable event or program, showcase these efforts using social media. This spreads the word about the charity as well as praising your employees for truly making a difference. This is a concrete validation of employees' efforts and will make them more inclined to contribute in the future. If an employee has shown a tremendous effort, be sure to single them out for some special praise both online and offline. For instance, if a few employees organized an event to support your company cause, be sure they are recognized for the efforts.
Make sure that management and employees operate as a team. When everyone works together, this is what truly builds that sense of camaraderie that you are trying to create. Helping a charity together helps the improve morale as well as contributing a worthy cause. For example, perhaps you are supporting a local food bank. When employees volunteer hours to help out at the food bank, managers should also be there working side by side. This is another important point. Your workplace giving should not just be about monetary donations. You need to provide managers and employees volunteer opportunities so they can truly feel a sense of teamwork and contribution.
It can be difficult for some employees to visualize a charity or cause that is abstract. For example, programs to enhance literacy can sometimes have difficulty raising money using conventional means. But when speakers who have actually benefited from literacy programs explain to employees the difference the program has made in their lives, workplace giving often increases. The more personal the charity can become to an employee, the greater the likelihood of involvement.
The last thing you want to do is cause division with a workplace giving program, so make sure that you choose a non-partisan cause. Helping children or helping to spread awareness about a specific disease or condition, such as breast cancer, are choices that appeal to a wider base of employees. Rather than choose a cause with a political agenda, select something that employees will feel comfortable about supporting regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum.
Too often, employees only think about worthy causes at specific times of the year, such as the year-end holidays. The reality is that these charitable programs need assistance all year long. By keeping the issues involved with the causes at the forefront of employee engagement on a consistent basis, your workplace giving program will be more successful in getting participation year round.
Social media provides you with an excellent resource to build pride in charitable giving programs. When employees take part in a charitable event or program, showcase these efforts using social media. This spreads the word about the charity as well as praising your employees for truly making a difference. This is a concrete validation of employees' efforts and will make them more inclined to contribute in the future. If an employee has shown a tremendous effort, be sure to single them out for some special praise both online and offline. For instance, if a few employees organized an event to support your company cause, be sure they are recognized for the efforts.
Make sure that management and employees operate as a team. When everyone works together, this is what truly builds that sense of camaraderie that you are trying to create. Helping a charity together helps the improve morale as well as contributing a worthy cause. For example, perhaps you are supporting a local food bank. When employees volunteer hours to help out at the food bank, managers should also be there working side by side. This is another important point. Your workplace giving should not just be about monetary donations. You need to provide managers and employees volunteer opportunities so they can truly feel a sense of teamwork and contribution.
About the Author:
Sebastian Troup enjoys blogging about philantrophic solutions for businesses and non profit organizations. For further information about workplace giving programs, or to find a corporate charity giving campaign, please go to the Truist site now.
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