5 Ways Community Involvement Helps Companies Overcome Hardship and Prosper
The relationship between companies and their surrounding communities is complex. When businesses get into trouble of any sort, doubt can begin to ripple through employee ranks. Fear may then spread to employees’ families and into the community at large. However, good news and caring actions also make positive impressions, both in the short and long terms.
While trouble often fades quickly, helpful community involvement and volunteer work builds lasting benefits for local residents and businesses alike. In fact, public involvement is good business. Here are five ways corporate work in society helps companies surmount problems and thrive.
1. It builds loyalty and trust.
A company’s local employees live in the neighborhoods surrounding it. Developing an employee volunteer program that encourages them to give back helps workers thrive and fosters a positive work environment. For instance, Alaya’s guide to corporate volunteering will provide you with the necessary resources you need to engage in such programs. In the Deloitte Volunteer Impact Survey from 2017, researchers discovered employees like working for companies that give back to the local area. When they see the company they work for cares about local residents, they begin to trust they too are respected. Creating a volunteer program helps a business foster loyalty among its employees and this action also helps reassure local residents about the business’s investments within the neighborhood.
2. It provides positive publicity.
When businesses participate in programs that help people, their marketing department does not have to put a spin on anything. Good publicity that shows the company in a positive light naturally comes from corporate community involvement. In addition to press releases, companies can share about their programs for public benefit on their social media channels, from Facebook to Instagram to Twitter, as well as in their blogs. In a survey of Search Engine Journal’s Twitter followers, 50 percent of the respondents said earned media coverage will help them more than paid media in garnering better SEO (Search Engine Optimization) results.
3. It fosters leadership abilities.
Successful companies and skilled managers are always looking for ways to stretch their employees’ current abilities and help them grow. Arranging community volunteering projects, such as a workday to help build a house in the Habitat for Humanity program or an animal adoption event and fund-raiser to benefit local shelters, lets employees’ talents shine. They can put their skills to the test and grow while they help local residents. Many of the abilities they need for volunteering are transferable.
- Coordinating and organizing events
- Managing teams
- Speaking in public
- Budgeting and planning
- Mentoring and liaising
Employees get a chance to show supervisors what they are capable of while developing their skills in a way that helps others. Everyone wins.
4. It creates enthusiasm.
When companies give employees a chance to volunteer in the areas of their personal passions, something wonderful happens—employees come alive. They personally thrive when able to benefit a cause they deeply care about, and they become more engaged with the business for which they work. A Forbes article points out how encouraging employees to volunteer, especially in areas they are passionate about, inspires positive feelings and interests that no amount of money could buy.
5. It drives new hires.
Millennials care about society and giving back. This workforce generation wants to volunteer and share, and they feel attracted to companies that promote doing social good. A survey called “Inspiring the Next Generation Workforce” found that 55 percent of respondents more favorably considered job offers from companies with supportive social policies. This generation certainly appreciates the opportunity to do good, but they also feel companies that care about communities will treat employees well and be a good place to work.
The Bottom Line on Community Involvement
When businesses encourage employees to volunteer and get involved with their local communities, all parties benefit. Companies get great publicity naturally, employees feel excited and empowered, and local residents get help, whether it is a new house, a sporting event, or a loving fur baby to add to the family. In a world that often seems out of control, community involvement once again shines the light on all that people can achieve when everyone works together.
Authored by Lisa Smith, SEO & Content Marketing Executive, Web Portal Media