Employee engagement is in the news, and corporations acknowledge it’s crucial to both the workforce and the bottom line. Today’s younger workers want more from their careers than just a wage—they want fulfillment, respect, and the knowledge that their work matters.
A Korn Ferry report stated, “No longer content with a passionless career… nearly 5,000 professionals surveyed by Korn Ferry say being bored and needing a challenge would be the top reason for seeking a new job in 2018.” There is no doubt this still holds true as we head into 2021.
Meanwhile, on the equation’s management side, successful companies agree with the Gallup report: engagement produces profit. It’s not just good common sense; it makes good business sense.
Kept Promises Transform Lives and Corporations
In 2008 the UK government, recognizing the need for a happier, more committed workforce, commissioned a nationwide project. As a result, David MacLeod and Nita Clarke produced an extensive report titled Engaging for Success: Enhancing Performance Through Employee Engagement.
They summarize the results as the Four Enablers of employee engagement.
● Strategic narrative—the mission, values, and goals of the company
● Engaging managers — provide focus, coach, and treat employees with respect
● Employees voice—listen as they contribute ideas, experience, and expertise
● Integrity—the values of the business are lived in the workplace
Employees look at the corporate social responsibility policy of their employees to show their values and intentions. They appreciate companies who demonstrate a commitment to their values through skills-based volunteering programs.
“Survey findings show that employee volunteering has established a foothold in corporate America. Over nine in 10 Fortune 500 survey respondents have formal EVGPs.”
—2009 Report by The Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship
Corporations can tell you that employees who participate in pro bono consulting projects become more engaged, teams become unified, and individuals gain valuable leadership skills. Companies with skills-based volunteering programs see measurable increases in employee retention and more success in recruiting.
Nonprofits endorse the concept of skills-based volunteerism and recognize the tremendous economic value it can contribute. The organizations are often short of time, money, and staff. Engaging with corporations for pro bono expertise ranging from IT to HR to marketing to finance, and everything in between makes total sense.
The Opportunity for Potential Impact Remains Largely Untapped
A gap exists between the social innovation that is being accomplished and the needs of global nonprofits. It must become simpler to collect verifiable data.
Businesses need to determine the factors to assess, including measurable outcomes and project tracking. These elements may differ in various situations, so it requires flexibility. Results can be hard to measure, and an experienced third-party intermediary can be valuable to help expedite the process.
This data supports corporate citizenship by creating a case for the existence and continued support of skills-based volunteering programs. In a 2020 report titled The Civic 50: Agility for Good in Times of Difficulty, Points of Light reported the measurable effects of 50 corporations.
They discovered these companies are doing an excellent job of measuring employee engagement, tracking employee diversity and inclusion, along with other vital factors.
Yet even these exemplary companies face challenges. Only 38% include marketing and public relations results, and only 16% are gaining the maximum value of those results in their recruiting programs.
We need more effective methods to use the power of analytic software to collect quantitative data to show the value of skills-based-volunteering and its social impact.
A Lack of Solutions Hinders Social Impact Programs
Corporations and foundations can track data points via Revere Software, including:
● Metrics of employee engagement between the volunteer and nonprofit partner, including geographic locations, how much time they work together, and how often.
● Which skills are in greatest demand.
● Which specific pro bono employees are requested most often.
● How employees and nonprofits connect—via videoconference, phone, and post-COVID, in-person.
● Which nonprofit partners are the most engaged with their portfolio of volunteer employees.
● Increased usage of the corporations’ products or services on a discounted or pro bono basis by their nonprofit partners.
● Employee engagement, indicated by increased morale, retention, improved skills, and productivity.
This information is invaluable in communicating the projects’ accomplishments and social impact. All parties—nonprofit and purpose-minded corporate partners, and the skilled volunteers, can communicate and celebrate their achievements and success.
We believe this information will allow more nonprofits to recognize the value of pro bono consulting and welcome the valuable help skills-based volunteers can provide.
Successful implementation of skills-based volunteering programs is rewarding. Observing the results of using tech for good and the power of pro bono consulting is exciting.
Yes, there will be challenges, but Revere Software can help solve humanity’s most pressing problems through engaged employees’ innovation.