What's Your Why?

With more and more Millennials entering your workplace, the emphasis for needing to create a positive impact and add value is more important than ever. An easy way to be an attractive employer and retain those who want to contribute to a bigger cause is to give them a purpose outside of their normal work by volunteering or fundraising for community events and needs. Some benefits to allowing employees to volunteer or fundraise are:

• Creates a connection to their community
• Gives them a purpose bigger than themselves and ability to live out their passion
• Creating an emotional commitment increases employee engagement
• Creates bonding and relationship building inside and outside the organization
• Creates positive recognition for your organization
• Demonstrations real world experiences and puts life into perspective
• Allows for the ability to help create and shape the community and world that they want to live in

Your organization is easily able to secure these benefits for your employees, all while being able to take care of people who are less fortunate or are in need in your community. An easy way to get started is to find a local non-profit organization (or two) that aligns with your company’s values and create annual fundraising activities and goals for your employees and maybe even their families. Another idea is to consider having a Volunteering Policy to allow employees the time off (whether it is paid or unpaid) to participate in a local community service event held during their normal work day.

Connecting employees to a bigger reason will create an emotional connection to their company and the community and helps develop their “why” in the world. Be the employer to embrace their passion, allow them to help tackle the world’s problems and inspire them to strengthen their overall purpose in life.