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Recruiting & Employee Retention
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How to Create a Culture of Volunteerism
As communities begin to recover from the effects of COVID-19, employers and their workforces are looking for ways to make a difference. This is where corporate social responsibility comes into play. What is corporate social responsibility and how can your organization build a culture of volunteerism within your company?Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is defined by Investopedia as “a self-regulating business model that helps a company be socially accountable—to itself, its stakeholders, and the public.” When working to maintain social responsibility within your company there are different avenues that can help inspire employees to get involved. Here at SWBC, we’ve found the following five methods to be some of the most effective ways to improve our culture of volunteerism:
1. Lead by Example
When top leaders and executives are involved in the community, employees feel more inclined to do the same. Employees may also be inspired to participate in the same organizations as their leaders.
2. Build Partnerships in the Community
As a company, building relationships with local nonprofits and volunteer organizations is key to getting employees involved. If you are a service provider to a nonprofit, this is another route to boost your relationship with a client and help with their mission. Through these partnerships, employees will also be able to see the direct benefits of their contributions, encouraging them to continue their volunteer efforts.
3. Develop a Corporate Culture of Service
Create volunteer champions within your company who can lead your community efforts. This can be done by leveraging individuals in the entire company who will inform their colleagues of events or build a community involvement committee that helps facilitate volunteer activity and companywide engagement. SWBC utilizes both strategies to manage community involvement and corporate engagement.
Related Reading: Fostering Employee Wellness With Your Remote Workforce
4. Stay Organized
Creating a community events calendar is also a great way to stay organized and give your employees the latest and most up-to-date news about upcoming volunteer events. A calendar should list all scheduled community events, information about the charity, and how employees and their families can participate. Having a centralized location and calendar for employees to use as a resource is an easy way to share information and keep employee engagement high. Knowing what opportunities are scheduled throughout the year helps everyone plan, yielding an increased participation rate. SWBC offers an internal community landing page where employees can also a track volunteer hours, view photos from past volunteer events, and access event opportunities. Overall, it’s just an easy way to keep everything centralized for employees to find!
5. Show Appreciation
Showing your employees that their efforts are valued and appreciated is critical in building a successful volunteer culture. Take time to recognize employees that have gone above and beyond for their community in your corporate newsletters and on social media channels. Consider creating a “Volunteer of the Quarter” award and allow employees to nominate each other. Identifying those who demonstrate your company’s core values while giving back to their community is a win-win.
Above are some examples of how to build a corporate culture of volunteerism in your workforce. These are just a few ways that you can motivate your employees and truly make a positive impact in the communities where you live and work!
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Recruiting & Employee RetentionDeborah Gray Marino
Deborah Gray Marino leads SWBC Corporate Relations as Senior Vice President. With over 25 years of experience in public policy, community and philanthropic sectors. She holds her Agent licenses for Life, Accident, Health Insurance, and Real Estate. Deborah donates her time and serves on several boards and commissions. She was appointed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to sit on the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission; Chair of Women United of Bexar County; and, former San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Tri-Chair.
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