More than ever, businesses are taking on the role of leading the world towards positive social change. For many companies, sustainability is no longer a buzzword to attract clientele, but a commitment to their employees and the community’s values. Now, embedded into many company cultures volunteering, donating, and participating in activities that benefit causes that matter. So, as you plan your giving back strategy, here are some reasons you should consider including a week or maybe even a whole month of giving in your calendar.
A week or month of giving is a fixed period of time during which employees are encouraged to volunteer with nonprofits for the benefit of the community. These extended periods of giving help raise awareness about the causes you care about and mobilize the manpower needed to complete major giving or CSR projects. As a value add, they also help volunteers create lasting connections with both the community and their organization.
Companies can choose any month of the year to be their Month of Service. Or they can plan a Week or Month of Giving around holidays and observances like Thanksgiving or International Volunteer Week. These periods of giving can be scheduled once a year or more regularly, depending on your CSR and social impact goals and roadmap.
While a week or month of giving undoubtedly helps nonprofits that receive support from corporate benefactors, they also positively impact those who serving i.e your employees. Here are some ways a week or month of giving can help your business:
They build team bonds across departments
Oftentimes, employees in bigger companies are unable to meet colleagues with whom they do not have a direct working relationship. One way to establish team bonds across departments is through these periods of giving, where team members can interact with one another over a meaningful task, regardless of their role in the office.
These extended periods of giving increase employee loyalty
When employees feel that the causes they care about are heard and acted upon by organizations, they are more likely to feel a sense of loyalty to that company. Likewise, when they are encouraged and equipped to contribute to such causes in a hands-on way, these employees gain a sense of pride in themselves and being associated with their employer. Lying at the intersection of the 4 Ps, people, passion, presence, and purpose, in person a week or month of giving can help refocus or renew the sense of purpose among teams.
The emotional benefits of an extended period of giving let you reap tangible rewards
Studies have shown that teams with a positive experience of giving back at work were four times more likely to go the extra mile to get the job done. A week or month of giving could drive a more productive and engaged workforce by breaking the monotony of daily work and giving employees something to look forward to. It also creates a ‘helpers high’ where the emotional reinforcement of doing good improves mental resilience, relieves tension, and reduces stress.
They are a great way to refresh people skills and teamwork.
After nearly two years of working alone, the interpersonal and social skills we took for granted need to be restored. A week or month of giving can gradually reinforce these skills in a less rigid social situation. In addition, the community aspect of getting together and working towards a common goal can reintroduce employees to a team dynamic before returning to their teams.
They signify a more evolved corporate culture.
A volunteering program involving a week or month of giving can let employees and potential talent know that even though it’s back to business as usual, business isn’t the only thing that matters now. A shining example of this practice is FedEx Cares, FedEx’s volunteering and giving program that encourages new employees and interns to do good.
They can be a magnet for newer talent
With millennials projected to form 75% of the global workforce by 2025 and Gen-Z – higher levels of engagement through doing good could prove to be a crucial factor in their allegiance.
Extended periods of giving have the potential to galvanize employees wishing to volunteer. They can form the training wheels of an action plan for employee engagement. While the individual aspects of putting together a week or month of service can seem daunting at first, the rewards make it worthwhile.
How Goodera can help you put together a week or month of giving
Goodera is in a unique position to facilitate a week or month of giving through a mix of virtual and physical opportunities that allow for greater volunteer engagement, especially with the person-to-person interaction that accompanies physical volunteering. Goodera and its nonprofit partners have created a host of at-office, off-site and nonprofit center-based volunteering activities that are suited to a week or month of giving. These in-person activities cover several cause areas including D&I for LGBTQIA+, people of color, and people with disabilities, refugee care, animal rights, mental health awareness, and many more.
