Many companies are starting to recognize the link between community involvement and philanthropic events and the impact that this has on attracting and retaining employees. While the social and economical benefits of company-sponsored charity work is instrumental to the causes, it has an equal benefit to the business as well – aside from the altruism that it can instill in each participant.
Community Involvement Attracts Employees
It has been found that community involvement in social causes attracts many millennials and people in Generation Z. A recent survey showed that 55% of participants believed in the importance of a company’s involvement in social causes when it comes to deciding whether or not to accept a job from that company. So, having plenty of opportunities to volunteer and get involved with the community may attract the cream of the crop when it comes to qualified and talented employees.
Employees Learn New Skills
When employees are given opportunities to partake in tasks outside of their normal jobs, they are given the opportunity to learn new things and have new experiences. For example, employees who aren’t normally in management roles may take up roles of leadership where they are given the opportunity to develop their management and leadership skills. It also puts employees in situations where they have to learn how to interact with others in such a way that their normal jobs would not require of them.
Passion And Loyalty
When employees are involved in volunteer activities that benefit their community, they are more likely to be loyal to a company. As a result, they may put more effort in to be the best employees that they can be. They may also be more likely to want to stay with a company for the long term.
When employees are involved with activities and causes that they care about such as religion, children, education, helping the elderly, improving the appearance of the neighborhood, rebuilding the community and social justice, they build passion for their workplaces and their coworkers.
Connections Form Between Employees
When employees volunteer together outside of the workplace, they are given the chance to experience each other’s presence in a way that they would never normally experience. At work, people have to act and dress a certain way, and sometimes people do not have the chance to fully interact with each other. The stresses and strains of a workplace may get in the way of coworkers’ interactions and relationships. As a result of making new friends and acquaintances, employees may feel more connected to their workplace and more apt to do a better job.