Employee Motivation Ideas

Why not commit to a greater good?

In my last article, I talked about the growing need for companies to get socially involved and why this is important. Over the last 20 years, many companies, including Microsoft, Facebook, Unilever, and Starbucks, have launched various initiatives. These efforts have impacted the lives of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of people. They are reducing environmental damage, helping communities in third-world countries through education programs, and supporting and encouraging the growth of small businesses.

For a large number of organisations out there, however, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is nothing but another annoying requirement that they need to comply with. Another social expectation is that they have to meet in order to be competitive. And for many businesses too, CSR is simply one more tool in their marketing kit. For them, social engagement  extends no further than having a CSR section on their website and supporting some charity or even just donating money.

Donating money or supporting a good cause is not inherently wrong, even if done just for its own sake. However, this approach doesn’t fully capture the essence of CSR. It’s neither the most impactful way to contribute to society nor the best method to align your larger purpose with your strengths. Actively engaging in social initiatives offers so much more and creates numerous positive direct and ripple effects on communities, society, the environment, and your company too.

Many authors have discussed these benefits, including business guru Michael Porter. In his Harvard Business Review articles, Porter emphasizes the importance of genuine, well-planned, and coordinated social efforts. He highlights their advantages for both the world and businesses.

It is these benefits that I would like to discuss here, starting with the most obvious ones – the benefits for your team. I’ve spoken before about the importance of staff to your business. It is your people that essentially drive your success, not only through hard work but through creativity, innovative ideas and commitment. Financial resources are clearly a significant part of business success but if you don’t have talent and commitment behind you, there’s not much that you can achieve.

Genuine engagement in a good cause and making a difference can help tremendously with your talent struggles and here’s why:

To attract talent on your team!

So how do you find and more importantly retain talent? It is a question that I’m sure has kept many HR managers awake at night. It is challenging to find people with the right education or meet their financial expectations. Additionally, people’s expectations are evolving. Their requirements in the workplace are also changing.

Today, it is much more than a good salary and a nice boss to work with. According to the What Workers Want report by Net Impact, 45% of employees value meaningful work. They would accept a 15% pay cut for a job that creates social or environmental impact. Over half of workers, 51%, value contributing to society in their ideal job. They believe helping to “make a better world” is essential. This highlights the importance of meaningful work.

To confirm these employee trends, Achieve conducted research in 2015. The study found that the good causes a company supports ranked as the third most important factor. This influenced employees’ choice of employer. It is ahead of the company’s products and culture!

I know this for a fact because I saw it firsthand. A friend of mine, an excellent marketing expert, chose a job at IBM over one from HP. Her decision was driven by IBM’s Corporate Citizenship program, which allows her to do volunteer work while being paid. She just likes the social engagement opportunities at IBM even if they pay slightly less.

To develop your employees’ skills!

Engaging in social and environmental programs is killing two birds (or more!) with one stone. On the one hand, you are doing something good for the Earth and/or people and communities. On the other hand, you get a sort of free training for your staff.

An article in Stanford’s Social Innovation Review claims that international skill-based volunteering is the new executive training ground. By giving your employees the chance to get involved and act upon causes they are passionate about, you give them a field for polishing their skills. They encounter different issues and deal with new situations that develop their leadership skills, outside-the-box thinking, creativity etc. Such real-life experiences are proven to be far better than university courses, academic training, etc.

Face-to-face encounters between employees and local community members offer valuable opportunities. These interactions help identify new market trends and provide insights into current and future consumer needs. But that’s just a bonus.

To improve company morale and employee loyalty!

As mentioned in the past, I truly believe that we all carry that inner impulse to be a part of something bigger, to contribute to the world. I think, and as proven in the above-mentioned studies, this need has grown stronger over the last few decades. People seek to make a difference in their lives. When their job, a significant part of their daily life, provides this opportunity, they often feel more committed to their organization.

A study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that strong sustainability programs boost employee morale by 55%. These programs also improve employee loyalty by 38%. In other words, by strengthening your organisation’s relationship with communities and society in general, you also strengthen your relationship with your employees.

To improve employee commitment!

This is somewhat related to the previous point, yet I mean it in a different way. From the standpoint of creativity, it is proven that participation in social activities has a positive effect on innovation among employees as well as on team collaboration. As employees engage in non-job related activities they sometimes find solutions to problems that are also relevant to their jobs. Sometimes they are inspired to come up with ideas for new products or services truly beneficial both to a certain community and to the general public. Bottom-up solutions increase employees’ commitment by showing that their ideas and opinions are valued. This approach reinforces their sense of purpose as their work makes a tangible impact on people’s lives.

From a standpoint of pride, as you can imagine everybody would be glad to say that they work in an organisation that does add to a greater good. And if your employees are proud, chances are they are also happy to work at your company.

There’s also of course the benefit of your company’s positive image of an organisation that truly cares about people, but again – that’s just a bonus.

GE’s former CEO John Welch used to say ‘You build the best team, you win’. If you’ve managed to attract good people who have not only the academic background but also intuition, skills, and the right attitude, then you are most certainly on the road to success. Allowing employees to engage in meaningful work can keep them motivated and loyal to your organization. By fostering social engagement through your company, you contribute to the greater good. This also allows your business to leave a lasting legacy for future generations. If there was a legacy you wanted to leave that makes a difference, what would that legacy be? What difference do you think it would make to focus on building a legacy with your business for you and your staff?

If this article has inspired a long-held passion to elevate your business, I’d love to explore the possibilities with you. Feel free to reach out to discuss further.