Why giving might be the most powerful engagement strategy
We all know that an engaged, motivated workforce is one of the most important factors to a company’s success. High employee engagement contributes to higher retention and productivity, reduces employee absenteeism, and has even been traced to improved customer satisfaction and product quality scores. Companies do a lot to help energize and engage their workforce's, offering perks, recognition programs, bonuses, more vacation time and other benefits.
Here at Newton Talent, we found that, of all our engagement strategies, our employees really respond to the opportunity to give back to the community and support their favorite cause at work. I’d argue that you’ve never seen a team of people so happy to pull off whatever initiative we happen to be working on at the time for our friends at Beverly’s Birthdays.
Our team chose Beverly’s Birthdays as the organization they wanted to support. It is a nonprofit dedicated to spreading birthday cheer 365 days a year to children who may be experiencing homelessness or are living below the poverty line. Based here in Pittsburgh, the organization was founded by Megs Yunn who, in 2011, met a young girl named Beverly who told her she had never had her own birthday party or even her own slice of birthday cake. That conversation drove Yunn to try to find a way to bring a birthday celebration to children across Southwestern Pennsylvania who, like Beverly, wouldn’t otherwise have one.
How we provide support
It is amazing to watch the team take time from their busy lives to identify ways to raise funds to support Beverly’s. They jump at the chance to participate in activities from cornhole tournaments to chili cookoffs to help ensure there are gifts, cupcakes and treats for party favor bags for every child and family member in attendance at the Beverly’s Birthday parties at the local community Family Center that our efforts support.
We love hosting these mini “giving challenges.†They are a fun way to keep our employees involved, energized, and excited about our commitment to Beverly’s throughout the year. We find them much more engaging than asking employees to commit to an annual gift—those requests often can leave employees feeling overwhelmed and make it easier for them to forget about their commitment to the cause. Plus, this practice of microgiving helps us remember that every gift, no matter how small, has the potential to add up and provide substantial and tangible results. Just imagine if everyone gave $10 to help solve a social problem—what a difference we could make!
But the most exciting and gratifying part of our engagement with Beverly’s are the parties themselves. Our team members spend these special evenings interacting with these children, working to bring a smile to their faces and make their birthday memorable. It takes no special talent; just the willingness to put yourself out there can bring so much happiness to others.
“Happy to helpâ€
At Newton Talent, one of our values is Happiness. We believe that true happiness comes in service to others; that the more we give, the more we will gain purpose, meaning, and satisfaction in all that we do.
Our support of Beverly’s Birthdays does a lot to make us happy. And maybe that’s the key to engagement by providing opportunities for community involvement.
According to the 2017 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey of Working Americans, creating a culture of volunteerism may boost morale, workplace atmosphere and even improve brand perception. And, of the survey respondents, 74% said it improved their sense of purpose.
I think our connection to Beverly’s has improved all of these aspects of our workplace culture. And even more, if truth be told. Because every organization hopes their people are aligned with their values and see them in their work. After an evening with Beverly’s, I can guarantee 100% would tell you Happiness is something we live at Newton Talent.