It’s no secret that employees at workplaces across the world report feeling disengaged and discouraged at work – it’s why the term “quiet quitting” went viral last summer. According to recent Gallup data, on an average team of 10 employees, seven employees are mentally disengaged and half are actively or passively looking to change jobs. The good news is we know what workers want to feel happier at work. Nearly half of workers say that if they could make one change at their current job to make it a great place to work, they’d make changes to company engagement and culture.
Workplace giving campaigns are one tried-and-true method to keep workers engaged while making a big impact for global causes. Joining with others to make a difference fosters a sense of wellbeing and connectedness. In fact, workplaces that offer volunteer and giving opportunities reduce their employee turnover rate by 57%.
Global Impact has over 60 years of experience helping organizations shape their workplace giving programs, raising over $2 billion for global causes. We know that simply having a giving campaign at your company isn’t an automatic fix for morale. Workplace giving campaigns are just like any other business strategy — they need to be actively monitored and reassessed year after year to make sure you’re seeing the results you want. Read on to learn the top ways your giving program may be falling short — and what you can do to change it.
1. Your campaign doesn’t have leadership engagement.
Company leaders have a strong impact on culture. Many employees take unspoken and spoken cues from company leadership. If the CEO works late, you may feel compelled to work late. If your department head skips a meeting, you may think it’s unimportant. Similarly, workplace giving campaigns need leadership buy-in and enthusiasm to get employees excited. We recommend that executive leadership show up to events, promote the campaign in staff meetings, email updates and find other ways to champion causes.
During our own workplace giving campaigns here at Global Impact, all levels of leadership step up to demonstrate their commitment to making an impact. President and CEO Scott Jackson spoke about his lifelong passion for giving back during our campaign kickoff and regularly encourages giving throughout the campaign. That engagement pays dividends; this year 85% of staff participated in our giving campaign! It can be hard to fit workplace giving into your company leaders’ busy schedules, but it’s crucial to keep employees engaged and giving year after year.
2. Your campaign doesn’t have a start and end date.
You might think that running your workplace giving campaign year-round or keeping the timeline vague would bring about more giving, but the opposite is true. Without a clear start and end date, a campaign lacks a sense of urgency that can inspire employees to participate. It’s a classic tactic marketers use – Act now! Limited time offer! — that’s as effective for t-shirt sales as campaign donations.
We suggest setting a timeframe for a campaign with a clear start and end date, such as the month of October. You could also set up giving moments throughout the year for annual observance days and other important dates — or you can let us do the hard work. Global Impact creates outreach materials like videos and fact sheets year-round to engage your employees; you can email us at [email protected] to receive these ready-to-go materials.
3. Your campaign doesn’t have a communications plan.
Research shows it takes an average of four to six touchpoints before a person donates. Workplace giving may be at the front of your mind, but that isn’t the case for everyone. If you don’t have a communications plan for your workplace giving campaign, you’re likely to get lost in the noise of employees’ regular workloads and other internal communications from your organization.
Communicating about your campaign can and should come in many forms. Here are some top ways we’ve seen companies communicate with employees about giving campaigns:
- Virtual events with charity partners
- In-person and virtual team building
- Email blasts
- Reminders in staff meetings
- Personal peer-to-peer requests
4. The philanthropic impact of your program is down.
If your campaign has decreasing participation rates, gift size or total monetary giving, you aren’t alone. Total giving declined last year, and the number of individual donors decreased by 7.1% between 2021 and 2022. We need to work harder and smarter to increase giving and keep employees engaged. There are many reasons giving may be down at your campaign — in fact, it may be because of some of the other items on this list. It’s important to take a deep dive to determine the issue and find innovative solutions to ensure your campaign meets its goals this year.
For example, the Global Impact team is working with a company to keep its giving campaign fresh while its staff is based around the world. We’re helping to plan and execute an exciting giving event for staff that presents an issue area important to the organization’s mission with a local-to-global spin.
5. Your campaign has lost sight of its impact.
Workplace giving is not just a great tool for employee engagement. Approximately $5 billion is raised each year through workplace giving for causes across the world. This impact is lifechanging for millions of people and for our planet, and it starts with just one individual joining with coworkers to make a difference.
Giving back in the workplace is simple thanks to payroll deduction, matching gifts and the power of a collective – but employees need to see the impact they’ll make in order to participate at all. Emphasizing your workplace’s impact, with goals as well as stories of how each donation helps, will be key in keeping momentum for your campaign.
If any item on the list above sounds like your workplace giving campaign, don’t fret! Global Impact has helped dozens of workplaces adapt their giving programs to today’s rapidly changing work environments. We’ve developed new tools to engage workers who are increasingly working remotely and seeking out workplaces that make an impact. Access our Employee Giving Hub for turnkey resources to make this year’s giving campaign a success – for employee morale and for humanitarian causes across the world.
