Empowering your employees to get involved in the community is a powerful business development strategy.

As the workforce shifts by generation, workers, especially younger ones, are looking for work that brings meaning to their lives. Creating initiatives that empower your people to serve others is a powerful strategic business strategy. Employees can find greater meaning in their work when you provide opportunities for them to contribute to their communities and connect these community service efforts to their roles within the company. This approach can enhance job satisfaction by aligning personal values with professional responsibilities. 

At Syndeo, for example, we supply our employees with paid-time off that they can use specifically to volunteer with organizations that mean something to them. Sometimes called VTO (volunteer time off), this use of time is good for their mental and emotional health. Volunteer time off provides an overall sense of wellbeing and purpose—whether they are attending a board meeting for a non-profit they sit on the board of or spending extra time volunteering in their child’s classroom, giving them the flexibility to serve others is good 

Having Syndeo employees out in the community representing our company shows our commitment to improving the places where we live. It’s more than just giving money—which we also do through our Syndeo Cares program—it’s taking our reputation for getting things done and helping where we can in the community. People in our community know us. They recognize Syndeo team members out making a difference in Wichita and beyond. What better boost to your brand and reputation than making a meaningful impact on those around you?

Why Community Involvement Is a Good Business Strategy

Companies can create a powerful synergy by intertwining community service with professional life. This type of employee empowerment does several positive things within the organization:

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1. It increases employee engagement and productivity.

By investing in employees’ personal development and satisfaction, you reveal how important they are to your company. Without loyal, diligent workers, your company would not be able to exist. Giving your employees the flexibility to invest in others and leading by example will over time create a culture where your employees want to engage with service opportunities because they know you care. This type of personal growth is foundational to building a charitable company culture.

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2. It attracts top talent with similar values.

Opportunities to create and share values is high on the list of recruitment desires for today’s workforce. People want to work for companies that share their values and even core beliefs. Corporate social responsibility is a key way to communicate your company's values with the applicant pool, making it easier to find people who would fit in your company culture.

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3. It gives extra meaning to work and effort.

Encouraging employees to engage in community service can profoundly enhance the meaning they find in their work. This transformation occurs due to the inherent nature of the service itself. When individuals prioritize others' needs above their own, they experience a unique form of sacrifice. This selfless act triggers a powerful neurochemical response - a surge of dopamine that accompanies the act of helping others. It's a sensation that can't be fully appreciated until experienced firsthand. Making an impact when there is no obligation to do so also carries significant weight, especially in the context of community. 

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Community involvement is a core part of corporate social responsibility, but it is not the whole piece of the puzzle. Beyond encouraging employee volunteerism and community participation, organizations can also look at their environmental, ethical, economic, and philanthropic impacts to further their reach.

How to know where to invest in your community. 

Getting your employees and organization involved in the community is easy. Start by evaluating what organizations align with your company values and inquire about opportunities to partner together. 

Another good way to determine which direction to take is to ask your employees what organizations or causes matter to them. If you start in an area that already has their attention, you will spend less time convincing them to participate and can use their motivations to make a more significant impact.

Start with what you can handle. If your business can only offer employees 4 hours of VTO per year, don’t be afraid to think that’s not enough. Every project starts somewhere, and as your team learns to use it, the cumulative positive effects of them being out in the community will eventually settle into increased profits and more time you can make available for volunteering. 

Share your targets and progress. Serving done with a humble heart is inspiring. Getting the goal in front of others is a rallying cry to work together. Likewise, sharing the results of your volunteer day or the progress made on social media is more than a humble brag. It’s inspiring to others. 

Host a company-wide volunteer day for an organization that shares your values. Organize a day for your team to help sort or organize for a local non-profit. Plan a 5K fundraiser to benefit a group that matters to your organization. 

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How to increase employee engagement in service activities.

Create company policies that promote participation. Beyond creating VTO or an employer-matched charity, consider organizing a company-wide grant program or stipend. Something that allows employees to designate corporate funds for a charity of their choice through an application process. At Syndeo, we call this our Syndeo Cares program. Syndeo Cares is a group of Syndeo employees delegated to review applications for charitable funds that Syndeo sets aside in the yearly budget to invest in our communities.

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Educate your employees on opportunities available for volunteering and encourage them to think of other opportunities. Sometimes, all it takes is getting the word out about volunteer opportunities and people respond. If you’re finding it challenging to engage employees with service opportunities, first consider the communication they have received about the events. Are they aware of the opportunities? Do they picture themselves participating? Have you communicated what’s in it for them? All are important pieces to motivating the behavior of your employees.

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Host the same event annually. Host a coat drive or a soup supper for a local homeless shelter at the same time each year. Once your employees know to expect it, you can anticipate higher participation rates from your team. Sharing the successes of previous years and casting goals for the upcoming event can be highly motivating.

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Build excitement and anticipation around your event. Communicate your own (and your leadership’s) excitement for serving in the community. You can build anticipation through internal communication, such as emails or Slack channels, and tease a little competition to beat last year’s results. 

What Does Community Involvement Look Like? A Syndeo Story

Our approach to philanthropy is deeply rooted in our core values and extends beyond mere financial contributions. Besides encouraging our employees to support causes close to their hearts, Syndeo, as a company, also fosters strong partnerships with local non-profits that align with our mission.

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Family Promise

Our partnership with Family Promise exemplifies our belief that a stable home life is fundamental to employee well-being and performance. Family Promise's mission to empower families facing homelessness resonates strongly with Syndeo's core tenet of supporting ourselves, our families, and our communities.

This collaboration has flourished through Syndeo employees serving on Family Promise's board of directors, providing HR expertise and hiring support, and offering services to bolster family stability programs. Our shared vision of creating opportunities for families to thrive has made this partnership invaluable to both organizations.

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Simply Hygiene

Aligning with our core value of collaboration, our partnership with Simply Hygiene addresses the basic needs of individuals and families facing challenging circumstances. By providing essential hygiene products, Simply Hygiene promotes health, dignity, and hope.

Syndeo's support has included hosting regular product drives and maintaining "Blue Barrels" for supply collection. The collected supplies are then distributed throughout the community and schools in ways that preserve dignity and respect. These initiatives not only meet immediate needs but also cultivate empathy and gratitude among our employees.

How Syndeo can help you empower your employees.

First, we have lots of ideas for partnering with organizations. Ideas that have worked well for our organization and, even more, that work for our clients. No need to reinvent the wheel if you are looking for a way to inspire your people to more community involvement. Ask your HR Business Partner to help you brainstorm a list of opportunities for your organization.

Second, we can advise you on crafting policies that promote giving back. Whether you want to offer PTO specifically for volunteerism (sometimes referred to as VTO) or create a corporate matching program, we can help you craft a policy that your employees will be excited to use.

Finally, we can make tracking employee participation a breeze through our tailored online HRIS software. Employees can effortlessly log and monitor their VTO without adding extra work for your HR team.

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Join us for a Community involvement webinar.

If you’re considering ways to make a difference in your community that aligns with your company values, we’re hosting a values-driven Community Involvement Webinar. Stay tuned for a registration link.

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To learn more about how outsourced HR services can get you back to business, contact Syndeo today!

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