National Giving Week: 5 Brilliant Ways Companies can Give Back to the Community

A study shows that 75% of employees who volunteer through work report feeling better about their employer.

Beyond work-life balance, millennials aim for work-life integration where their personal and professional lives blend together. Corporate giving helps them meet this goal and engage further with the company they work for. Giving back to the community also helps to boost the reputation of the company, improve the corporate culture and attract and retain good employees.

The most important thing to remember about giving back is that it is an on-going effort and not just something to do at the end of the year or once in a while when you feel like it.

There are many ways companies can give back to the community.

Here are 5 brilliant ways companies can give back to the community:

 1. Partnering with a charity to sponsor their event

Rather than merely writing a cheque to a charity, partnering with a charity to sponsor their event allows employees to take an active role in the company’s efforts in giving back to the community. Whether it is a fundraiser, crafts fair or cultural event, getting employees involved in the event one way or another gets them to help and contribute in their community. Such events can increase a company’s visibility and at the same time improve the morale of employees as they work as a team for a common cause. More importantly, the company are able to ensure that the money and time makes a difference in their community while achieving their philanthropic goals.

2. Offer free mentoring or skills training

One of the most powerful volunteer opportunities that a person can offer is to become their mentor.

A mentor shares information, foster insights and helps to guide the next generation of leaders to success. Mentoring provides opportunities for industry experts in your company to meet like-minded professionals and lead to new business opportunities for your organisation. Knowledge sharing is hardly a one-way street. While mentors could offer others their experience and insights, they also stand to gain by understanding their business from a fresh new perspective. Your organisation could also consider offering internship positions or apprenticeship programs for tertiary students looking for work experience in a related field. The program could also be opened to people looking to return to the workforce after a hiatus or are unemployed and looking to upgrade their skills. Mentoring programs can be rewarding for mentors on a personal level and is definitely a great way to give back to the business community.

3. Encourage your team to volunteer

Happier employees tend to be good team players and high performers. A survey revealed that 94% of employees said volunteering improves their overall mood. Employees today want growth and job satisfaction and being able to do good at work makes them more engaged with their company.

Kick start volunteering by offering paid time off for volunteering to a charity that all employees have voted for or have a common ground. Try to encourage employees to give their time in the subject that they have the most knowledge about. For instance, bank employees can donate their time helping people by giving them the knowledge and tools to reach their own financial freedom. Employees of real estate and infrastructure can give their time helping in construction and it could be as simple as building a ramp for a person in a wheelchair.

4. Set up a scholarship fund

Giving back to the community is a great way to help future generations. Better education leads to better opportunities and sponsoring scholarships helps students from less privileged backgrounds afford tertiary education. Not only do companies help talented and deserving students achieve their educational goals, they benefit as the company’s profile is raised in the wider community by showing commitment to the education of the future generation. In addition, the company will have the opportunity to select from a pool of resources for graduate recruitment. Sponsorships also increases a company’s profile and reach, gaining brand recognition and loyalty, which can do wonders for its reputation as a good company to work for.

 5. Dedicate a corporate giving day

Whether you are organising a canned food collection, hosting a toy drive or volunteering at a soup kitchen, set aside a day for all employees to come together and do good. While it is easy to be busy at work, it is important to make time to give back to the community as a team and make volunteering a priority too. As a company, try to help or encourage your employees to make the choice to volunteer from within themselves because then they will own it. Appoint and vary employees to be in charge of corporate giving day on a half-yearly basis or annual basis. It is important that employees truly choose to get involved because they are passionate about the cause, rather than sign up because they feel that they will be judged or because they think that it is a mandated aspect of their work. Volunteering promotes caring which is an important human value that we sometimes forget given the hectic world that we live in.