Last month, we hosted two Charity Alliance members to talk about how they can help companies amplify their employee engagement. Attendees got to experience just a bit of the magic of ChildFund International and Mercy Corps’ employee engagement opportunities. Missed it? Here’s a quick recap to answer any questions you may have surrounding charity engagement events:
Why should I host employee engagement events?
Bringing people together creates a sense of community amongst employees, fostering interactions beyond the workplace. By improving morale, they become advocates for your company, enhancing retention rates and motivation in your workforce.
Overwhelmingly, employee engagement events also enhance your employee giving program! Experiences like these inspire participation and generosity. When employees see their collective impact, they will be even prouder to work for your company.
Why partner with a charity?
Where do your employees’ donations go? They go to nonprofits! At the end of the day, nonprofits are on the ground making an impact around the world and in local communities. Nonprofits are the ultimate storytellers for the impact made in employee giving. They are experts in fundraising which means that they know how to inspire donors, design impactful events, and cultivate a community of donors.
(Plus, it’s easier to plan when you’ve got help!)
How do I plan an event?
To ensure that your event is impactful for your employees and campaign, follow these steps and answer the accompanying questions:
- Define your goals: What are you aiming for? Raising funds, spreading awareness, and fostering team building are common end goals.
- Select the right cause: What charities align with your corporate values? What key moments, like observance days, are coming up? For example, consider our International Women’s Day event and collaboration with charities that empower women.
- Partner with the right charities: What charities have engagement events that your employees would find valuable? Continue reading for two charities with a host of successful engagement events available.
- Solidify your activities: Interactive activities allow for further engagement; how can you design them to be engaging and inclusive?
- Promote your event: What communication channels will you use? This step is just as important as planning the event. Take just as much time as you spend preparing materials as you do promoting it to your audience.
- Measure and celebrate your success: How will your employees realize their impact? You must track participation rates, funds raised, and employee feedback. These not only allow you to report impact back to your employees but are valuable in planning your next event.
When should I host my event?
Your timing is important to maximize the potential of your engagement event. During employee giving periods, participation and enthusiasm create a sense of urgency through a deadline. Kickoff events, weekly series, location-based, and closeout events are all great options. For companies with year-round campaigns, aligning your events with key moments like observance days drives engagement. Considering both elements when choosing your timing will maximize impact for your employees.
ChildFund International
Sarah Gorman, Global Corporate Partnership Advisor for ChildFund International, shared the organization’s core values and opportunities for employee engagement. ChildFund answers the needs of over 16 million people around the world to address educational, medical, and nutritional access to help people lead happier, healthier lives. They have six core pillars of child protection: emergencies, health, education, early childhood development, and microfinance. If any of these pillars align with your corporate values, consider their employment engagement opportunities:
Trash to treasure:
In many communities, basic needs take up the majority of time and resources, and there are none left to buy children’s toys. During this engagement event your employees will create toys for children in need out of trash and other discarded items while also reflecting on the creativity and innovation of children in underserved areas. Bottle caps can become snakes, plastic bags can be made into jump ropes, and much more. This is a great option for companies because the items needed are found around the house, and the children in their lives can also participate.
Messages of hope:
In this group activity you’ll create digital or handwritten cards to encourage children in ChildFund International’s programs. Cards are collected and forwarded to countries where they are translated and matched to children. These letters mean so much to them and only take minutes to create. After they are delivered you will receive a video of the children expressing their thanks, which you can then incorporate into your newsletters, social media, or other resources, projecting the impact of your employees.
These activities can support all types of groups and causes and can be incorporated in many ways according to your company’s needs. For more information reach out to Sarah Gorman at [email protected].
Mercy Corps
We also heard from Mary Leier, Employee Engagement and Workplace Giving Officer, about Mercy Corps’ efforts to work with communities and respond to the toughest challenges they are facing to create a future where everyone can prosper. They value bold action in the face of climate change, using data to drive impact, and innovating with change members.
Mercy Corps’ opportunities for employee engagement include:
- Engagement workshops
- Impact storytelling and communication
- Custom webinars that are designed to fit each company’s philanthropic goals
- Skills-based opportunities
From Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience, their newest engagement event, is designed to activate employees around global crises and learn how Mercy Corps is helping to restore communities in the face of climate change. During this activity you follow someone experiencing instability because of climate crises. Their story stresses the ripple effects of climate conditions on every aspect of people’s lives. Following the event, micro-opportunities are available to support underserved people and Mercy Corps workers in the field.
Interested in partnering with Mercy Corps for your next event? Learn more about their engagement events by reaching out to Mary at [email protected].
Global Impact is here to help you create experiences that drive positive change! Through our alliance of charity partners, we have access to some of the best and most strategic employee engagement activities. We can help you find one that aligns with your philanthropic goals, supports one of your Employee Resources Groups, or can be used in employee giving campaign kickoff events.
Additionally, our Employee Giving Hub is a great resource for planning these events. Reach out to us, we would be happy to help!
