7 Secrets to A Successful Workplace Giving Program | Part One
7 Secrets to A Successful Workplace Giving Program | Part One
Having had the privilege to work with hundreds of enterprise companies — many of which are part of the Fortune 1000 — we're often asked about what works best when it comes to workplace giving programs. Companies want to know how to get the greatest social and business outcomes out of their programs and we want to help. The first and last thing to remember? The goal of your giving programs must be employee engagement. This may seem obvious, but it’s worth mentioning because many programs aren’t designed with this goal in mind.
Companies with high employee engagement consistently outperform on financial measures. According to Project ROI, CSR practices have great potential to deliver financial returns on investment as well as related business and competitive benefits. For instance, in a large, publicly traded company, CSR has the potential to raise market value by 4-6%, increase revenues by up to 20% and decrease staff turnover rates by up to 50%.
Lately, our clients have seen positive effects on corporate culture when they focus their programs on employee engagement, especially in a global context. Goodness is one of the few things that can unify people across borders, languages, ethnicities, age, contexts and more. As such, giving back programs provide people with something positive and authentic to rally around, and are an increasingly important tool in the human resource/corporate social responsibility (CSR) arsenal.
With an understanding of the importance of engagement under our belts, we now share our first three secrets aimed at increasing engagement.
