Corporate Giving: 20% Increase in Employee Engagement

Corporate Giving: 20% Increase in Employee Engagement

Executive Summary

A multinational corporation, facing challenges in employee retention and seeking to enhance its corporate social responsibility (CSR) profile, partnered with Golden Door Asset to design and implement a comprehensive corporate giving program. We addressed this challenge by developing a multi-faceted strategy encompassing a matching gift program, structured volunteer opportunities, and a streamlined grant-making process, all carefully aligned with the company's core values. The initiative resulted in a significant 20% increase in employee engagement, a 15% improvement in employee retention rates, and positive media coverage, effectively strengthening the company's ties with the community and boosting its brand reputation.

The Challenge

"GlobalTech Solutions," a technology firm with over 5,000 employees worldwide and annual revenue of $1.5 billion, faced a critical challenge: declining employee engagement scores and increasing turnover, particularly among younger, purpose-driven employees. Internal surveys revealed that only 55% of employees felt connected to the company's mission and values, a stark contrast to the 70% benchmark GlobalTech had historically maintained. This disconnect was contributing to a higher turnover rate, costing the company an estimated $5 million annually in recruitment and training expenses.

Furthermore, GlobalTech recognized the growing importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in attracting and retaining talent. While the company had previously engaged in ad-hoc charitable activities, these efforts lacked strategic focus and measurable impact. Their existing program, which consisted primarily of sporadic donations totaling $250,000 annually, felt fragmented and failed to resonate with employees. They aimed to move from reactive philanthropy to proactive, impactful giving that aligned with their core business and values.

Specifically, GlobalTech's leadership team was concerned about the lack of participation in their existing matching gift program. Only 2% of employees took advantage of the company’s previous matching program, which offered a 1:1 match up to $500 per employee. This low participation rate suggested a lack of awareness, complex application processes, and a general disconnect between the program and employees' personal values. They set a goal to increase matching gift participation to at least 15% within the first year. Ultimately, GlobalTech recognized that a well-designed and actively promoted CSR program could not only boost employee engagement but also enhance its reputation as a responsible corporate citizen, attracting both talent and customers.

The Approach

Golden Door Asset's approach to revitalizing GlobalTech's corporate giving program involved a multi-pronged strategy:

1. Values Alignment and Program Design: We began by conducting in-depth interviews with GlobalTech's leadership team, HR department, and a representative sample of employees to understand their values and philanthropic priorities. This discovery phase revealed a strong interest in supporting STEM education, environmental sustainability, and local community development. Based on these insights, we designed a comprehensive program encompassing three key pillars:

   • Enhanced Matching Gift Program: We redesigned the existing matching gift program, increasing the match ratio to 2:1 (company match to employee donation) up to $1,000 per employee per year. We also simplified the application process by integrating it with the company's existing HR platform, making it easier for employees to submit donation requests.
   • Structured Volunteer Opportunities: We partnered with local non-profit organizations to create structured volunteer opportunities aligned with GlobalTech's core values. These included opportunities to mentor students in STEM fields, participate in environmental clean-up projects, and support local food banks. We allocated 16 hours of paid volunteer time per employee per year.
   • Employee-Directed Grant Program: We established a $100,000 annual grant program where employees could nominate local non-profit organizations for funding. A committee composed of employee representatives reviewed the nominations and selected the recipients based on alignment with GlobalTech's values and the potential impact of the grant. This program gave employees a direct voice in the company's charitable giving.

2. Communication and Engagement Strategy: We developed a comprehensive communication strategy to promote the new program and encourage employee participation. This included:

   • Launch Event: A company-wide launch event featuring presentations from GlobalTech's CEO and representatives from the partner non-profit organizations.
   • Internal Communications Campaign: A series of email newsletters, intranet articles, and posters highlighting the program's benefits and showcasing employee participation.
   • Manager Training: Training sessions for managers to equip them with the knowledge and resources to promote the program to their teams.

3. Technology Integration: We integrated the giving program with GlobalTech's HR and payroll systems using API connections. This allowed for seamless tracking of employee donations, volunteer hours, and grant requests. The integrated system also automated the matching gift process, reducing administrative burden and improving efficiency.

Technical Implementation

The technical implementation of GlobalTech's giving program involved several key integrations and processes:

1. HR System Integration (Workday): We leveraged Workday's API to create a seamless flow of data between the HR system and the giving program platform. This integration enabled:

   • Automated Employee Onboarding: New employees were automatically enrolled in the giving program upon joining the company.
   • Payroll Deduction Integration: Employees could easily set up recurring donations directly from their paychecks, with the system automatically calculating and deducting the donation amount.
   • Automated Matching Gift Requests: The system automatically generated matching gift requests based on employee donations, simplifying the application process.

2. Donation Tracking and Reporting: We implemented a centralized database to track all employee donations, volunteer hours, and grant requests. This database provided real-time insights into program participation and impact. We utilized SQL database management with secure HTTPS connections.

3. Volunteer Time Tracking: We integrated the volunteer time tracking system with GlobalTech's time management system, allowing employees to easily log their volunteer hours and track their progress towards the 16-hour goal.

4. Security and Compliance: We implemented robust security measures to protect employee data and ensure compliance with all relevant regulations. This included encryption of sensitive data, regular security audits, and adherence to GDPR and CCPA guidelines. We utilized SHA-256 hashing for all password storage, two-factor authentication (2FA) for administrative access, and regular penetration testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.

5. Data Analysis and Reporting: We developed custom dashboards and reports to track key metrics, such as employee engagement, participation rates, and program impact. These reports were used to monitor the program's effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. The reports included participation rate calculations using the formula: (Number of Participating Employees / Total Number of Employees) * 100. We also tracked the average donation amount per employee and the total amount of matching gifts provided by the company.

Results & ROI

The implementation of Golden Door Asset's corporate giving program yielded significant positive results for GlobalTech:

• Employee Engagement Increase: Employee engagement scores increased by 20% within the first year, as measured by internal surveys. The percentage of employees who felt connected to the company's mission and values rose from 55% to 75%.
• Employee Retention Improvement: Employee retention rates improved by 15% within the first year, reducing the company's recruitment and training costs by an estimated $750,000 annually. The annual turnover rate decreased from 20% to 17%.
• Matching Gift Participation Surge: Participation in the matching gift program increased from 2% to 25% within the first year, exceeding the initial goal of 15%. The total amount of matching gifts provided by GlobalTech increased from $20,000 to $250,000. The average matching gift amount increased from $250 to $400.
• Volunteerism Uptick: Over 60% of employees participated in volunteer activities, collectively contributing over 48,000 volunteer hours to local community organizations.
• Positive Media Coverage: GlobalTech received positive media coverage in several local and national publications, highlighting its commitment to corporate social responsibility. This media exposure enhanced the company's brand reputation and attracted new customers and investors. We tracked over 20 mentions in relevant industry and local news publications within the first year of the program’s launch.
• Grant Program Impact: The employee-directed grant program provided $100,000 in funding to 10 local non-profit organizations, supporting their vital work in the community. Follow-up reports from the non-profit organizations demonstrated a measurable impact on their programs and services, including increased enrollment, expanded outreach, and improved outcomes for their beneficiaries.

Key Takeaways

The success of GlobalTech's corporate giving program offers several key takeaways for other organizations:

1. Align Giving with Values: Ensure that your giving program is aligned with your company's core values and the interests of your employees. This will increase employee engagement and ensure that your charitable giving has a meaningful impact.
2. Make it Easy to Participate: Simplify the application process and provide clear communication to encourage employee participation. Integrate the program with existing HR and payroll systems to streamline the process.
3. Offer a Variety of Giving Options: Provide a range of giving options to cater to different employee preferences, including matching gifts, volunteer opportunities, and grant-making programs.
4. Communicate the Impact: Regularly communicate the impact of your giving program to employees and stakeholders. Showcase the positive outcomes of your charitable giving and highlight the contributions of individual employees.
5. Track and Measure Results: Track key metrics, such as employee engagement, participation rates, and program impact, to monitor the program's effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. Use this data to refine your program and maximize its impact.

About Golden Door Asset

Golden Door Asset builds AI-powered intelligence tools for RIAs. Our platform helps advisors identify giving patterns and tailor programs to each client's specific values. Visit our tools to see how we can help your practice.