More and more corporations are choosing to create a stewardship program that will allow their employees to donate time, money, and even old-fashioned elbow grease to a charitable cause. Donating to charities may not help raise your bottom line, but employees enjoy being part of something bigger. In fact, a whopping 80% of people prefer to work in a place that gives back to the community. Start fostering a culture of giving at your company with these proven tips, and enjoy a lower employee turnaround rate and the satisfaction of helping those in need as a result.
Match Donations
When you match monetary donations that your employees make, they are more likely to give as well. Over 70% of employees feel that their donations should be matched – when you match donations, your employees know that their giving is a joint effort. While you’re at it, consider allowing payroll donations instead of (or as well as) direct donations. Small donations that are pulled from employees’ paychecks are easier for employees to plan for, and actually tend to involve less overhead in processing.
Allow Employees to Choose
Different people have different passions, so providing a variety of local or global charities to donate to gives your employees the opportunity to give to something they are really passionate about. Your employees will feel like their interests and talents are recognized, and more people will be willing to give. If you are planning a volunteer program for your employees, conduct a survey to find out which volunteer opportunities would be most preferred, and set up two or three different options, if possible.
Make Volunteer Work Essential
From building houses to cleaning up parks, rescuing animals to tutoring students, volunteer work builds a sense of dignity and self-worth in the volunteers. As a company that encourages volunteering, you can be a part of building those qualities in your employees, and as a result, they will be happier with your company and more likely to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. Just make sure, after any group volunteer trips, to provide a meal and a few hours of leisure time as a thank-you – or plan volunteer opportunities to coincide with corporate retreats.
Give Year-Round
While many companies make giving part of their year-end holiday routine, donating and volunteering are best incorporated into the daily culture of your workplace. An ongoing spirit of giving encourages unity and teamwork within your company. Make it strictly a holiday activity, however, and that unity will likely be gone as soon as the holidays are.
Hire an Events Planner
An event planner can help you coordinate volunteer activities, set up donation opportunities for your employees, and give you even more ideas on how to cultivate a corporate culture of giving. At MTI Events, our stewardship programs have helped thousands of companies and their employees learn the joy of giving while creating a stronger sense of unity within the company. We have seen how such programs benefit companies, employees, and communities at the same time. Let us plan your company’s corporate stewardship program, and see for yourself how giving really is good for everyone involved.
