You already know that corporate giving and volunteering helps your business. Does your corporation give back to the community? Do employees participate? If so, you’ve seen benefits from giving back, but there may be more reasons to participate in charitable giving than meets the eye.

4 Ways Corporate Giving and Volunteering Helps Your Business

Reduces Turnover and Increases Productivity

One way to reduce turnover and increase productivity is employee engagement. While business leadership struggles to engage employees, they often overlook corporate-sponsored volunteerism and giving. Organizations that help employees volunteer have learned the benefits of bringing their team together in charitable engagement.

“Employees most committed to their organizations put in 57% more effort on their job—and are 87% less likely to resign than employees who consider themselves disengaged.” PWC.Com – The Keys to Corporate Responsibility Employee Engagement 

Tears Down Silos 

Every organization develops silos where the part becomes greater than the whole, How to Demolish Silos and why You Should. The way to tear down silos is for employees to interact, to get to know each other across divisional and departmental lines. Cross-training is one way to accomplish this. Another method to break down walls and foster camaraderie is through volunteerism and charitable giving. For more than twenty years, I was privileged to organize food, toy, and blood drives at three organizations. Participation brought together team members from every position in every department. It did a lot of good and broke down many silos.

Adds to Corporate Culture 

Giving back not only influences corporate culture, but it can also define it. A company known for responsible community participation says a lot about the organization. It says something to clients. A provider that cares about charity work and the community cares about customers too, and it sends the same message to employment candidates.

Builds Recognition

I don’t want this to sound crass and commercial, but the truth is charitable initiatives impact your marketing. It’s a way to focus media on a corporation. Whether it’s branded signage at a local charitable golf outing or a spot on Live at 5, charitable actions shed a positive light on an organization.

There’s another point of consideration about recognition. Volunteerism is a great way to recognize employees as well. 4 Easy Ways to Improve Morale.

Is Your Corporate Giving Enough?

It would be difficult to find a business that didn’t participate in some corporate giving, but is it enough, and are employees involved? Ask yourself this, does my organization’s charitable giving involve employees, add to our culture, bust silos, and improve productivity? If not, it may be time to reevaluate your corporate giving philosophy.

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me. 

So, does your business have a management training plan? Because, if not, many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out.

Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash