ASE’s Annual HR Conference is next week, and as we have for the past couple of years, we are tying a charitable giving campaign to the conference. While we give all the attendees the opportunity to contribute to the chosen charity, you may not know that we also have an internal project for giving to that charity.

The day to day requirements of our jobs keeps us focused on our part of the business so we may not interact with each other as often as we would like. This annual project gives us the opportunity to work together on one common goal. We always have a great time with it, but it’s not just us. Charitable giving can be a great morale booster and can increase a company’s presence in the community.

So how can your company benefit from charitable giving? First, it is important to pick the right charity for your business and company culture. That decision may be based on the type of work you do or where you are located. If helping the surrounding community is important to your company culture, there is no shortage of local charities that can use a boost in donations of time and/or resources.

At ASE, we strive to support our member companies. Your business may choose to support a charity that ties into the experience of an employee. If someone at your company has a family member who is autistic, you may choose a charity related to autism. Perhaps an employee recently went through treatments for cancer. There are many charities geared towards fighting cancer that can always use support.

Besides the morale boost, there are tangible benefits to giving back as studies have shown:

• Employees are 13 times more likely to enjoy their work when it is for a company that gives back to the community

• 70 to 90% of consumers would switch to a brand supporting a good cause

• Getting personally involved, instead of just making a monetary donation, creates positive brand exposure and networking opportunities

• 70% of employers noticed a boost in employee morale due to volunteer activities

One study showed that giving back correlates to greater retention of employees. These workers are also more likely to be ambassadors for your company brand. Another study showed that Millennials, in particular, want to know what a company stands for, and 70% of them will spend more with brands that support causes.

We all know that attracting and keeping talented workers is a challenge these days. How great is it that we can improve morale, help keep staff engaged and happy by helping others, and improve our business?

Additional ASE Resources
ASE Annual HR Conference – This year’s community giving initiative for the Annual HR Conference supports Goodwill.  All conference registrants will receive an email soon with participation details.  If you are not attending the conference, but would like to participate by providing a donation, please contact Sara Sosnowski.  Also, it’s not too late to register for the conference!  To register for the 2019 Annual HR Conference please visit the conference web page.

Sources: fortune.com, succesfulbusinessnews.com, forbes.com, inc.com