Whether you call it “The Great Resignation” or “The Great Rehiring” or avoid referring to it at all, everyone can agree that companies are having a tough time recruiting, hiring and retaining talent in today’s job market. With competition remaining high in 2023, it is more important than ever for employers to keep their current and newly hired employees on the payroll.
At its best, philanthropy in the workplace recognizes personal goals that exist outside of job performance, eliminates department silos by uniting coworkers who do not normally collaborate on projects, and forms a strong sense of individual ownership in the company’s values. Aligning mission with charitable endeavors elevates your brand and bottom line so that your employees find more meaningful context from the business conducted on a day-to-day basis.
So, where do you start?
Acknowledge the company’s charitable past and present. Conducting a survey to gather input from employees can give you a better understanding of what they want to see from the company’s future philanthropy and may identify enthusiastic leaders who can drive the program down the road.
Draft a vision statement that describes the ideal future state of your company’s philanthropy. Think about how that vision translates to your culture through employee pride and increased morale, job retention, and new hires being drawn to your company for your community work.
Determine a philanthropic focus. How will your giving align with your company’s products, services or people? Corporate donor advised funds can be a great tool for using company assets to engage employees in this way.
Start somewhere, anywhere. Consider starting with smaller steps, such as an annual employee volunteer day, while developing a larger strategic giving plan.
When your employees have a clear understanding of the company’s values, their work will reflect those values, and their experience will be grounded in a deep connection to the company. Not only that, your clients and customers will notice! If you want to retain and attract top talent, make the workplace a fulfilling, charitably minded environment by involving employees from day one.
Explore your options for corporate philanthropy here.
Questions about your corporate philanthropy? Contact Leah Bobbey, CFRE, Senior Philanthropic Strategies Advisor at 513-768-6123 or leah.bobbey@gcfdn.org.
