Why Getting Involved in the Community Can Boost Employee Engagement
According to a 2017 Deloitte Volunteerism Survey, businesses that make community involvement or volunteering an important part of their company culture have employees that are happier and more engaged. This is especially true for millennials and Generation Z who consider it a perk to work for a company that embraces giving back. In fact, a recent survey found that a company’s support for social causes was a key factor in accepting a job offer. As one respondent explained, “If a company cares that much about outside causes, then I know they are invested in treating me right as an employee.”
“It goes deeper than donating to nonprofits or serving on their boards,” said Jonathan Becker, a workplace culture expert and partner at the consulting firm, Great Place to Work. “Community involvement is moving closer to the core of what the company does.” Leading companies are “searching for ways to build on their teams’ skills and connect them to worthy endeavors that resonate with what they do at work.”
Research concurs. According to Fortune, “of the 357,000 people surveyed about the Best Places to Work, “those who had a positive experience of giving back at work were four times more like to say their teams were willing to give extra to get the job done. They were also more likely to be brand ambassadors eager to express pride in their employers and to say they want to stay with their companies for a long time.”
Happy, engaged employees also benefit a businesses’ bottom line. Gallup estimates that companies with engaged employees outperform the competition by as much as 202 percent, while disengaged employees cost the U.S. between $450–$550 billion each year in productivity loss. (Read more about the importance of employee engagement in our latest whitepaper.)
In a nutshell, here are 10 reasons why volunteering and getting involved makes better employees:
- It boosts morale.
- It creates emotional ties to a cause, which can lower stress and increase positivity.
- It builds loyalty to the company.
- It attracts new hires.
- It helps build people skills.
- It promotes leadership.
- It inspires passion.
- It instills pride.
- It improves a company’s bottom line.
- It just feels good.
Giving back not only benefits the community and those who are served. Giving back creates engaged employees who in turn boost a businesses’ growth. When a company builds a culture of giving back, it sets the stage for a purpose-filled and passionate environment.
4M is proud to regularly participate in activities that give back to the communities we serve. Our food drives and backpack programs are just two examples of the ways we encourage community involvement among our employees. We pride ourselves on having Team Members who are engaged and passionate about their jobs and their communities. It’s just another way we deliver the best, innovative, safe and sustainable cleaning and service solutions for your business. To learn more, give us a call or CLICK HERE to contact us
