Many people and corporations tend to feel charitable and become inspired to help others around the holidays. However, many companies, CEOs, and entrepreneurs embrace the concept of giving back as part of their business model and include philanthropy to build a sense of community.

Missouri Baptist Medical Center connects with its community by hosting annual charity car shows including musical entertainment, food, and of course cars. The proceeds are used to benefit the United Way of Greater St. Louis.

Father Joe’s Villages has a powerful mission to provide charity housing and hope for those living on the streets as well as the working poor.

Smaller businesses can become an integral part of their local community by donating time, money, and technology. This helps them to connect with others by working together for those in need in areas like healthcare, food, housing, and education.

Employee Engagement Drives Results

When employees work with their employers to help contribute to their communities, it helps create an important and powerful bond between the company, the staff, and those in need.  Feeling connected to a company you work for helps you understand that your job is important, has value to the company, and gives you the incentive to work harder.

Think about your relationship with the company you work for like a relationship in your personal life. If you are happy and content, you will stay in the relationship. Why leave? Right? The same concept applies to relationships between companies and their employees. Employees who feel appreciated and are engaged are more likely to stay. This will, in turn, lower turnover rates and boost employee retention.

By engaging employees with your company’s philanthropic efforts, they actually stay longer and are happier. Businesses with engaged employees outperform those without by up to 202%!

Unhappy employees who quit a company are more likely to share negative feedback with others that can have a significant negative effect on your company’s reputation. Engaged and positive employees will help spread good news about your company to friends, family, and those in your community who could be future employees.

Engaged employees are happy employees. Happy employees are satisfied employees. Satisfied employees enjoy coming to work, put more effort into their job, and help improve your company’s bottom line.

Communication is key in all relationships. Engaged and contented employees are better and more effective communicators who will share ideas and brainstorm with co-workers, managers, and clients. They are also more likely to come up with new and creative solutions and best practices.

Although there are no direct financial gains for corporations that participate in charitable acts, there are other ways they can feel rewarded.

Increased Respect

When your staff works efficiently and effectively as a team, they are more productive and your company is more successful. Employees who see that your company cares about those in need and provides charitable support to the community are more likely to see your business as a positive force. This will then lead to them feeling more motivated to do a better job and increase their morale.

Building a Good Reputation in the Community

Business owners will often work with local prominent community organizations to identify needs and provide help and support to those who need it. The relationship between your organization and your community becomes one built upon goodwill and reciprocal support.

Improves the Quality of Your Community

When everyone in a community works together for the betterment of its residents, the better are the living and working environments. Corporate leaders, employees, and community members can have a very positive impact on important things like school safety, help for the homeless, and enjoyable local parks.

Better Relationships

Philanthropic organizations are often those that command power and respect. When business owners and their employees become involved in this type of charity work, the relationships and connections become invaluable resources. Mutual respect, trust, and positive public opinion are essential to business success.

How to Increase Employee Engagement

The first thing you have to do is make sure your employees are aware of the opportunities available where they can get involved. Technology makes it easier to get the word out to everyone, even those who work in different locations.

Your communication channel with your employees should be a two-way street. Ask them for their feedback, to share their past volunteer experiences, and their suggestions for how to improve causes you are currently involved with, as well as recommendations on future events and other causes.

Share your enthusiasm and passion for the cause(s) you are involved with as a company to help raise your employees’ interest and to appeal to them on an emotional level.

You might want to hold contests with prizes to engage your employees. This can not only appeal to the altruistic side of your staff but can also make it fun.

Being involved in the community and charitable causes to help those in need benefits everyone. The companies by encouraging employee engagement develop better relationships with those who work for them. The employees have fuller, more satisfying job experiences, and the community and charitable causes get the help they need.