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Why Is Festive Workplace Giving So Effective?
As we head towards the end of the year, it’s the perfect time to turn the spotlight on workplace giving, especially after celebrating the 2023 Workplace Giving Awards. This year’s winners emphasised the remarkable power of collective action, where even small dollar amounts or habits can create a significant effect when embraced by charities and employers alike.
Simply put, workplace giving is all forms of giving at work. At the core is payroll giving, often called pre-tax salary donations. And as an organisation, you and your employees can empower meaningful impact at this time of year by offering employees the option to donate directly from their pay. Other forms of festive giving in the workplace that can be promoted include special festive matching, fundraising, volunteering, and even corporate donations as part of the end-of-year wrap-up. Seeking more employees to become workplace givers? The good news is that now is one of the best times to reach out to potential donors and raise awareness about your programs. It also allows everyone in the workplace to be part of something meaningful outside their day-to-day work routine.
And it’s a real win-win: charities can gain exposure to new supporters, and corporates can ignite staff engagement and talent retention, which can be a current challenge for many organisations. Giving at work cultivates active participation, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose among all team members. Workplace giving also offers charities and organisations the unique chance to showcase their impact to a captive audience and celebrate the incredible difference donations make in your community. It’s a chance to appreciate the collective impact they are achieving and to inspire others to embrace the spirit of giving.
Recent research highlights that employees expect a workplace giving program, with 85% of the survey respondents saying it is personally important that a company workplace giving is in place. Companies that don’t offer workplace giving are putting themselves at a disadvantage when it comes to employee satisfaction and attracting talent. Additionally, matching was cited as a primary driver when asked about the motivation to engage in workplace philanthropy (62%). This is an excellent reason to review matching and implement unique double or even triple matching for the festive season.
Top 5 Tips: How to Nurture a Culture of Workplace Giving During This Festive Season
1. Lead By Example
Workplace giving starts at the top. Leaders within the organisation should actively participate and demonstrate their commitment to festive giving. Encourage executives to make charitable contributions and engage in volunteer activities. When employees see their leaders embracing philanthropy, they are more likely to follow suit.
2. Implement Special Festive Matching
Recent research shows that employees are more likely to donate if the corporation offers matching, and 66% of research respondents reported increasing their donation if their employer matched it.
3. Create A Festive Giving Appeal
Creating and promoting a specific festive giving appeal is an effective way to engage employees towards the end of the year and provides a way for staff to focus on the more meaningful elements of the festive season. Many organisations also offer special double or even triple matching to make the most of the particular season.
4. Foster A Sense Of Community
Encouraging employees and charities to come together to discuss and present impact counts, especially at this time of year. Create a sense of community by organising team-building activities around giving back, such as group volunteering or fundraising events. This shared experience strengthens relationships and reinforces the importance of corporate giving.
5. Recognise & Celebrate Giving
Regularly acknowledge and celebrate employees’ giving efforts, which can be a great time to weave impact into end-of-year reporting, speeches and awards. Implementing recognition programs that highlight individuals or teams who have made a significant impact through their contributions and publicly recognise their efforts through impact reporting, announcements, newsletters, or internal communication platforms.
Festive workplace giving has untapped potential to create lasting partnerships and make a meaningful difference in charitable programs. By nurturing a culture of workplace giving within businesses, there is the opportunity to unlock the full potential of workplace giving and maximise employees’ impact on the causes they support.
Workplace giving starts at the top. Leaders within the organisation should actively participate and demonstrate their commitment to festive giving. Encourage executives to make charitable contributions and engage in volunteer activities. When employees see their leaders embracing philanthropy, they are more likely to follow suit.
2. Implement Special Festive Matching
Recent research shows that employees are more likely to donate if the corporation offers matching, and 66% of research respondents reported increasing their donation if their employer matched it.
3. Create A Festive Giving Appeal
Creating and promoting a specific festive giving appeal is an effective way to engage employees towards the end of the year and provides a way for staff to focus on the more meaningful elements of the festive season. Many organisations also offer special double or even triple matching to make the most of the particular season.
4. Foster A Sense Of Community
Encouraging employees and charities to come together to discuss and present impact counts, especially at this time of year. Create a sense of community by organising team-building activities around giving back, such as group volunteering or fundraising events. This shared experience strengthens relationships and reinforces the importance of corporate giving.
5. Recognise & Celebrate Giving
Regularly acknowledge and celebrate employees’ giving efforts, which can be a great time to weave impact into end-of-year reporting, speeches and awards. Implementing recognition programs that highlight individuals or teams who have made a significant impact through their contributions and publicly recognise their efforts through impact reporting, announcements, newsletters, or internal communication platforms.
Festive workplace giving has untapped potential to create lasting partnerships and make a meaningful difference in charitable programs. By nurturing a culture of workplace giving within businesses, there is the opportunity to unlock the full potential of workplace giving and maximise employees’ impact on the causes they support.
Why Workplace Giving?
- Businesses enjoy greater staff engagement, retention, productivity and social impact
- Employees are offered an impactful way to give and build a sense of pride in their workplace
- Charities receive regular low-cost funds, access to valuable skills and strong partnerships.