Want to increase your company’s community involvement in 2019, but don’t know where to start? Charitable outreach is about more than just doing good – it’s also a great way to build good will within the company and a good reputation outside of it.
To make your program work, you need real buy-in from leadership, a clear plan and a team to carry it out, and a dedicated budget to pay for it. In the end, though, serving your community is its own reward.
An easy way to get buy-in from company leaders is to present them with the tangible ways that outreach activities will benefit their business and boost their bottom line.
Recruit and Engage Top Talent
Charitable giving forces you to clarify and promote your company’s mission, aka your big “why.” Current and prospective employees feel more engaged in a company that has a clear purpose. A recent study found that in companies that participate in holiday charity activities, 84% of employees answered “yes” when asked if their organization has a clear purpose. Only 62% of employees who work for companies that don’t organize holiday charity activities answered “yes” to the same question. And 78% of employees in companies that offered charitable opportunities expressed support for their company’s values, while only 50% of employees expressed support in companies that did not offer charitable opportunities.
If you’re trying to attract new employees, keep in mind that, according to a 2017 Deloitte study, 89% of respondents believe that companies that offer volunteer opportunities have a better working environment than companies that do not participate in volunteer activities. This is true particularly for Millennials, as they are interested in making an impact in their communities, and knowing what that impact is.
Build Customer Loyalty
Aside from improving your recruiting and employee engagement efforts, community outreach can result in tangible consumer-related benefits, as well. A 2013 study by behavioral science researchers found that consumers increase their loyalty to companies that participate in social responsibility and outreach programs. The study also found a stronger link between the level of company’s community outreach and customer loyalty than between a company’s service quality and customer loyalty.
Achieve Magazine (a publication that has come to TAI for recruiting and career coaching tips), explains the 5 best practices of setting up a community outreach program in your company.
Read the full article here.
