"Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action." - W.J. Cameron
The holiday season is officially in full swing throughout North America and families and loved ones will soon come together to celebrate Thanksgiving. At the same time, the ringing of bells on street corners will help to remind us that this is also the season of giving.
There are many ways that we can give back to our communities and to those in need throughout the year. You may volunteer your time and skills, or perhaps you may donate to a non-profit organization.
While each of our individual contributions may not always appear to be Earth-moving in and of themselves, the sum of our combined efforts can really make a huge impact. Because when we come together for a common cause, we can leverage The Power of One to accomplish all sorts of great things.
Corporate Societal Engagement In Action
Corporate societal engagement is one area where companies can harness the collective power of their employees and even customers to engage in more than just "business as usual."
Averitt Cares for Kids, for example, is our associate-funded charitable program that was started in 1986. With just a voluntary $1 donation each week, our associates have donated $5.3 million to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and more than $9.1 million to charities overall in the past 30 years!
Aside from donating money, companies can also engage their associates through volunteer opportunities. During the last three months of each year, Averitt hosts the 40 For 40 Community Challenge, which is a company-wide program where teams of associates from across our network collectively contribute 40 hours of community-oriented service. The overall goal in 2016 is for the entire company to accumulate 4,500 hours of volunteer service by the end of the challenge.
What Are The Benefits To Your Company?
Engaging your employees to volunteer and contribute towards worthy causes as a team can also benefit your company in many ways, including:
- Building Your Reputation In The Community
Working with your local community, your company may find all sorts of opportunities to become engaged. Whether it's donating to a local organization or rallying the team to provide and serve food to the needy, your company and associates will build a deeper connection with the community. You'll find that building a good reputation that goes beyond the services you provide will really impact the way people perceive your business. - Employee Morale And Retention
The culture your company embodies will have a direct impact on the morale of the office and even employee retention. When your employees care primarily about their paycheck, they are more likely to jump at the next job opportunity. Enabling them to become part of something more than just the daily grind will help foster a sense of well-being and respect for the team that they are a part of. They will ultimately have more respect for you and for the work they are doing because they know that their company is focused on more than just the bottom line. - All About Teamwork
It's not unusual for different departments and levels of employees to feel a sense of disconnect from each other—especially at larger companies. When people don't work or communicate with each other frequently, work silos can easily develop. A company that develops a silo mentality will not function at its fullest potential as the overall goal to succeed as one is broken down.
Promoting corporate giving or volunteering projects can bring employees at all levels together. With one common goal in mind, the sense of teamwork will inevitably move beyond volunteering and will benefit the rest of the day-to-day functioning of your business.
How Does Your Company Give Back?
What is your business currently doing to engage employees to work toward a common cause that benefits the community or world? Does your team volunteer or collect gifts for foster children at Christmas time? Perhaps, you are looking to start a corporate societal engagement program. We'd love to hear how you're harnessing The Power of One to come together as a team! Let us know in the comment section below!
