Philanthropy has become a big part of modern-day business. Nowadays, it’s no longer a major headline to hear how companies are trying to help the world. Tech giants like Google are able to elicit big change through their foundation, and pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer have similar initiatives in place, with a focus on worldwide healthcare availability. There are currently billions of dollars being allotted to philanthropic endeavors, but you don’t have to own a major corporation in order to do your part to make a difference in other peoples’ lives. The added bonus is the attention you’ll get – there’s a major consumer trend towards favoring companies that do good in society.
Sometimes it can be too taxing on a company’s bottom line to donate cash directly. In cases like this, it can be effective to donate goods or services instead. One way to make a difference is to get your employees involved. Even if you don’t have the resources of Google enabling you to send team members around the world, you can still encourage hands-on interaction within the local community.
Offer volunteer opportunities to your staff so they can get a deeper understanding of the concept of helping others. If you create work-related incentives such as paid volunteer days, you’re more likely to garner interest initially. In an ideal world, once people get a taste of charitable work they will seek out ways of helping on their own time while also recruiting others.
One way to encourage greater team interest is by making your employees a part of the process from the very beginning. Establish completely employee-run committees that put the power in the hands of the people who will be working alongside you. Pride of ownership will naturally fall into place.
Partnering with an organization that has a household name is another way of gaining interest and motivation among your staff, especially if it’s a cause that has affected many peoples’ lives. Start by sponsoring races or food drives to help a national cause and get your company name into the community. It’s good to be associated with large charitable campaigns.
Depending on your industry type, you can even come up with more creative ways to help out local charities. You might be able to offer pro bono services, or the use of company devices, offices or equipment. You might even be able to hand out free samples of some of your products.