What do UPS, Enterprise Rent-a- Car, Bank of America, and Target all have in common? Each has a strong, recognizable brand with a national presence. Each has a vast employee and customer base, a unique set of products, and an imperative to produce solid business results and consistent profits.
All of these commonalities are true. But, here in the Inland Empire — and in my role at United Way — I see another value shared by these four companies. And it’s not a value often thought of as one that would add to the bottom-line. Yet, it does. Simply put, it’s a commitment to engaging their employees in the community.
What I see is more than the company writing a check and calling it a day. It’s about demonstrating to their employees and customers that they value the communities in which they do business and they realize that good philanthropy is good business.
According to the Points of Light Institute, employee volunteerism results in enhanced leadership skills, improved morale, reduced absenteeism, improved corporate image, the attraction of new talent, leveraged impact of corporate contributions, and the development of stronger communities in which to operate.
As workplace demographics are quickly changing, we are also seeing a growing body of research indicating that younger workers — particularly millennials — are seeking jobs where community engagement is an important part of the corporate culture. According to the 2014 Millennial Impact Report, 34 percent of respondents reported that a potential employer’s involvement with a cause was a factor in their job search, 39 percent researched the company’s corporate citizenship before an interview, and 55 percent actually said that discussions about an employer’s cause during the interview process helped persuade them to accept the job.
Last month, Inland Empire United Way launched a new Emerging Leaders initiative aimed at giving local up-and- coming business people of all ages the chance to find their mission giving back in our community, to connect with one another, and to hear from more senior leaders about volunteer experiences during their career journey.
Mike St. Onge and Nick Iannacone, two leaders from UPS’s Ontario Airport hub, shared their personal commitments to giving back and demonstrated the powerful impact that community involvement has had on UPS as a company.
“To us, giving means more than writing a check,” said St. Onge. “It means combining employees’ skill, passion and time with our logistics expertise, transportation assets, and charitable donations to make a measurable difference in society.”
UPS founder Jim Casey established The UPS Foundation in 1951 with a mission to help build stronger and more resilient communities around the world. And that’s exactly what they’ve strived to do for the past 60 years.
In the Inland Empire, we see this demonstrated throughout the year. Not only do UPS employees contribute more to United Way than any other local company, but they also take volunteerism seriously. They help pack food for hungry kids, paint murals at school makeover projects, and get into the community in those brown T-shirts whenever there is an opportunity.
But here is where it makes good business sense. UPS has identified that their employees who are engaged in the community are also more engaged workers. As a matter of fact, they’ve found that employees with the highest levels of engagement perform 20 percent better and are 87 percent less likely to leave the organization.
So, if you’re a business leader questioning whether it makes good business sense to invite employees to use work time for volunteering, or how charitable giving could add to the bottom-line, there you go.
But more importantly, I believe, is the powerful impact that employees can have on strengthening the communities in which they live and work. And that’s good for business and for all of us.
To explore ways to enhance your company’s community engagement strategy, visit www.IEUW.org/businesses.
