Magic 8 Ball Says YES To Volunteerism and Employee Engagement
Finding the right way to engage employees can be difficult. Done without much thought it can be hit or miss; like engaging the Magic 8 Ball for an answer. Sometimes the answer is “YES” or “MAYBE.” Sometimes “DON’T COUNT ON IT.”
If you feel that way, incorporating a volunteer program may be the answer. This recent article found in Fortune magazine suggests that better workforces are built through helping others. In other words: Volunteerism.
Simply put: Volunteerism helps attract and retain employees. Studies show that when employees are encouraged to be active volunteers, employee engagement and its benefits increase. With better engagement, there is ultimately a benefit to the bottom line. In fact, this Fortune post refers to a SAP study that “found that each percentage point increase in employee engagement contributed $40 million per year to operating income.”
Intuitively, this makes sense to me. But simply connecting employees with nonprofit organizations doesn’t necessarily result in a rewarding experience for both sides, however. So how do you create a win-win for each group?
The Sweet Spot: A Win-Win for The Business and The Nonprofit Organization
Author Julie Clugage writes that the “key to achieving a win-win outcome is to build empathy and understanding across both sides of the engagement.”
I encourage my nonprofit and business community friends to take a look at the case studies presented here. The goal is to match employee skills with nonprofit programs. I wonder, have you found success this way? If so, I would love to hear about it.
No matter if your organization is for profit or not for profit, we’ve got a team of professional who can assess your engagement strategy. Contact us, we’re ready to help.
About the Author
Greg Wingfield is a Managing Director at Fahrenheit. Drawing from a 40-year career in nonprofit management and economic development, he guides nonprofit organizations in need of fundraising and development coaching, marketing planning, strategic planning, staffing or recruiting guidance and fractional leadership.