As companies compete for talent in the marketplace, social responsibility (among other company qualities) is highly scrutinized. This means you must think more about your business’s impact on the broader community. Additionally, Millennial and Gen Z generations make up a large portion of the workforce. These two groups tend to put a great emphasis on ethics and social responsibility. Consequently, your business benefits from community involvement in charity work and employer-sponsored volunteer programs. These are now must-haves in your overall employee engagement and brand strategies.

Employer-sponsored community involvement incents employees to give back to the community or charitable causes. These programs may incent financial support or donation of time. For example, Tandem HR offers employees up to 8 hours of paid time off per month to volunteer with an organization of their choice. To sweeten the deal, any employee that donates a minimum of 30 hours per year to a 501(c)(3) earns that organization a $250 grant. And, because we value charity and community involvement so highly, we’ll also match donations to an applicable charity up to $250 per employee per year.

There are other ways to encourage community involvement too! You could organize a company-wide fundraiser, food or coat collection, or sponsor a family in need for the holidays. There are many opportunities to get involved and make a difference in your community. The bottom line is that these opportunities allow employees to witness your organization’s impact on the community. It can increase employee engagement and may also impact the reputation of your company’s brand. Business benefits from community involvement!

Here are some of the top benefits of supporting charity work and community involvement:

1) Attract and retain top talent

Offering employees opportunities to volunteer their time to charitable causes gives them a sense of purpose. It makes them feel they are contributing to a worthwhile cause and part of something meaningful. This feeling can add meaning to their place within your organization. Volunteer projects can also provide additional challenges, stimulating employees’ growth and development. What an attraction to job seekers!

2) Helps employees develop new skills

Taking part in or leading charitable projects allows employees to experience new situations and work with people from all walks of life. Such experiences allow employees to use their existing skills and develop a variety of new ones. For example, running a charity event can help employees develop communication and strategic planning skills. More importantly, volunteer programs allow managers to spot potential leaders. They can then decide which employees would thrive in leadership development programs, thus helping with succession planning.

3) Stronger relationships between employees

Charity or community work often unites employees towards a common goal. It will strengthen the bond between team members. It also allows them to get to know one other deeper outside the workplace. Employees from different departments, supervisors, and senior leadership should participate in these activities. It builds strong inter-department relationships and solid teams.

4) Better physical and emotional health

Often, volunteer work involves physical and practical challenges in an environment outside the typical workplace. So, employees have the chance to break the monotony of being in the office and, potentially, get in some activity. Plus, doing good feels good. It improves emotional health. As a result, you’ll find happier, healthier, valued, and more confident employees. In fact, many studies show that companies with volunteer programs report reduced stress levels, increased self-confidence, and lower levels of depression among employees.

5) Greater productivity and performance

Employees become highly engaged and satisfied at work when given opportunities to give back to good causes. In turn, this boosts morale and drives employees to give their best, leading to improved productivity and performance for your organization.

6) Positive employer brand

Encouraging community and charity involvement isn’t just good for the employees’ souls either! Companies that sponsor programs like these find a favorable reputation within the community. Whether it’s from the press, social media, or your employees directly – it’s a positive for your company’s image. This extends to both potential employees and customers.

With increasing emphasis on caring for the world around us – philanthropic programs can be a vital part of your employee engagement and brand strategy. Consider the programs that will prove meaningful to your employees, and get the ball rolling today! If you’re unsure where to get involved, try visiting the Volunteer Match website for opportunities near you.