The Surprising Math of Giving Back

Elementary-school subtraction taught us that if you have two apples, and give away one apple, you are left with only one apple. But during the holidays – a time of giving – we’re reminded that the rules of math don’t always apply.

When you give back to your community, you often end up getting more than you give. This also holds true for companies and their employees. Companies can actually benefit from the surprising math of philanthropy and volunteerism. Here’s how:

Focused philanthropy and volunteerism can amplify your company’s mission.
There are a lot of needs out there – and only so many dollars and willing volunteers available to help address them. One way to determine which recipients get priority is to support causes that align with your company’s mission.

At USAA, our mission to facilitate the financial security of military families has always been front and center. We’re in the middle of a strategic shift that will direct more of our giving to organizations that help serve members and veterans. Greater alignment between our mission and our giving means that we can better fulfill our purpose for serving the military community.

Philanthropy combined with volunteerism yields greater impact.
To maximize the impact on their communities, smart companies combine philanthropy with formal volunteer opportunities for employees. While money is crucial to ensure that a nonprofit can fulfill its mission, the time and applied expertise of volunteers can create a multiplier effect. There simply is no substitute for people helping people.

Just over one of every four Americans contributes time to a nonprofit organization. Yet only about 35 percent of companies offer formal volunteer programs, according to a University of Florida study (although the percentage is much higher among Fortune 500 companies). This suggests that more employees would volunteer if companies made it easier to get connected to serving opportunities.

It’s worth the effort. When employees come face-to-face with the people they’re helping, it’s not only the person being served – but the one doing the serving – who benefits. The employee gets a chance to apply interpersonal, communications and problem-solving skills – not to mention the fulfillment that comes from helping someone else.

Volunteers make better employees.
Employees with the greatest number of volunteer hours have the highest levels of engagement with their employers, according to a recent study by accounting and consulting firm PwC. What’s more, the University of Florida study reveals that employees who volunteer are more likely to work harder on tasks and less likely to daydream, surf the web and take extra time off work.

There are recruiting and talent-retention benefits, as well – especially with the sizable millennial generation, which tends to volunteer more than other generations and likes to work for companies with social consciousness. A Deloitte survey found that millennials who participate in their company’s volunteer activities are more likely to be proud of their company, feel loyal to it and recommend their company to a friend.

Despite the rules of math, companies and their employees who give back to their community do get a lot in return. And, most important, friends and neighbors in our communities get the helping hand they need during the holidays and all year round.

Photo: USAA CEO Joe Robles, CEO-Elect Stuart Parker and employee volunteers at Haven for Hope, a San Antonio non-profit that serves the homeless community in Bexar County, Texas.