4 ways to give back from any job

All of us want to be more fulfilled in our work. It's a conversation I have often with people. Some resolve to consider a career change or to go for a promotion in their current role. But increasingly, employees are thinking about a different career goal entirely — one centered on finding more meaning and doing more to give back.

The conclusion that I see people jump to all too often is that they need to quit their corporate jobs to go work at a nonprofit — or find a specialized role like mine doing social impact for a company (honestly, that’s exactly how I landed in this career, so I get it!). While those paths are incredible options for many people, the reality is there are ample opportunities to give back from any job. What’s more, sometimes you can unlock more good by reframing your current role around social impact — unleashing the power of your existing talents, resources and networks. If you’re looking to find more meaning in your day-to-day, here are four ways you can do so from any role or job title. 

Rally your team

Whether your organization has 10,000 employees or 10, you can be a catalyst for engaging your colleagues in giving back.

Raise your hand to plan an event, which can take the form of a few hours of volunteering together (VolunteerMatch is a great resource to find events in your local area), a fundraiser for a local nonprofit, or simply inviting a community leader to speak at a team meeting. Beyond building new connections in the community, it’s a great way to stretch your leadership muscles and will also drive benefits for your organization. When we polled employees at Okta last year, 73 percent of our teams reported they felt more connected to each other after volunteering together, and 78 percent felt more pride in the company. Employees, and especially millennials, want to work for a company with a purpose — and you can help your organization pave a path to contribute to social good efforts.

Consider how your organization can give back to nonprofits 

More than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations are registered in the U.S: it’s likely a number of them could benefit from your organization’s core competencies. Consider donating your company’s product, service or expertise to help a nonprofit. Another powerful asset is leveraging your organization’s corporate voice — via marketing channels like social media — to promote or support causes and organizations.

If you think your company may be in a position to make more formal commitments to giving back, consider introducing your leadership to the idea of a corporate giving pledge. Pledge 1% is a global movement that empowers companies to commit 1% of their staff time, product, profit and/or equity to the community. This program offers a simple framework, ample resources to get started and a powerful way to embed giving into the fabric of your company and culture.

Focus on the future workforce

No matter your job or title, you have something important to give by sharing your career experiences with students and jobseekers — in particular those from underrepresented communities.

Designate a few hours every week or month to share career advice with students, mentor through a local school or after school program or even host a group of students for a one-time visit to your office. Citizen Schools has a powerful and accessible model that brings professionals into low-income middle schools to teach their passions. Or, if you’re stretched for time, CareerVillage.org is a crowdsourced career advice platform that lets you answer career questions from underserved high school students (in as little as 5 minutes!). If you’re in a position to hire, consider piloting an internship program. Nonprofits like Year Up or Genesys Works are fantastic programs that find and train underserved young people for jobs in technology and beyond.

Join a board 

You can add a tremendous asset to your personal leadership plan while also helping organizations in need by joining a nonprofit board. While many assume board service is something only experienced career professionals can pursue, boards are increasingly seeking out the unique and valuable perspectives of those earlier in their careers or spinning up junior boards to engage the next generation of leaders. 

To find board opportunities, utilize resources like Board Match, or reach out to your local community foundation to get connected. You can weave this resolution into other professional goals you make by keeping your manager in the loop: illustrate how becoming a board member will further your leadership experience while also sharing your expertise with a nonprofit.

Ultimately, you don’t need to learn new skills or undergo a massive career change to weave social good into your career goals: the opportunities are in front of all of us. By taking small steps, we can all uncover deeper meaning in our careers and strengthen our connections to our communities.