That has been the case with several of my employers in the past, and it made a difference in staff morale, sense of purpose, and motivation. Not only did the top leaders encourage it, the co-workers encouraged each other to get involved. And we actually had fun and made memories while we were helping others.
But volunteerism goes beyond all that. It benefits a company's bottom line.
CECP, a coalition of CEOs and corporate leaders with the mission of giving back and societal improvement, conducts annual research on "Giving in Numbers." The 2014 edition, the most recent, found that:
- Corporate community engagement is widely considered a sound business strategy;
- Employee volunteerism is crucial to helping leading companies engage staff, boost morale, and improve overall job satisfaction; and
- Among companies offering a company-wide day of service, 80% identified this program as among its most successful.
More recent CECP research reveals "companies that increased giving by 10% or more saw a 14% median growth rate in pre-tax profits; companies with the strongest business performance grew giving by the greatest rates. Together, these findings show a relationship that's mutually reinforcing.
"Companies developing sophisticated corporate giving programs that utilize the full breadth of resources to expand their social impact are positioning themselves to deliver long-term value to both their shareholders and society."
Your community notices when you support it. And if monetary gifts are difficult for your business to make, why not encourage staff to take some paid time to "give back"? Consider it an investment in the community, your employees, and the business, itself.