Innovative Employee Incentives #14: Community

Rachael Wilterdink > Employment > Incentives > Innovative Employee Incentives #14: Community

Companies that care about their employees typically also care about the communities in which they live. Many such organizations go out of their way to encourage people to contribute to their community in various ways. Here are a few of them:

Opportunities to give back

Many companies choose organizations to partner with to give back to their community. It could be:

Helping clean up a local garden or park
Providing vital supplies to a women’s shelter
Teaching coding classes for girls in tech
Buying or donating Christmas gifts for lower-income families
Setting up a drive for the food pantry

Or you could do any other number of activities to support your local community.

Paid time off to volunteer

Many firms I have worked for give their employees one or two paid days off annually so they can volunteer. I happen to volunteer with several different professional groups, and having the support of my company allows me to give freely of my time. Previously, I was a girl scout troop leader, and I was able to take a paid day off to prepare to take my girl scouts on a camping trip (no small feat).

person sitting on the chair near the plastic containers with lables

Pro-bono projects for local non-profit organizations

Many larger organizations have people dedicated to doing work for free for deserving groups or non-profit organizations. One of my previous employers built a mobile application for a local music festival each year, free of charge. It was a win-win for the company and the festival.

Maybe your company wants to get its name out there with low-cost advertising – sponsorship is a great way to do that while also supporting the community. When I lived in Washington state, my employer sponsored the local minor-league baseball team (the Spokane Indians). In return for sponsorship, our company had a banner in the stadium, and we often had discounted or free tickets in a premium spot (right behind the dugout).

Charitable donation match

Some organizations do great charitable work worldwide, and companies often partner with them to help them raise funds for their causes. To incentivize their employees to donate, employers offer to match the contributions up to a certain amount.

Scholarships

chalkboard with written equation for math lesson

Another way that companies give back to their community is by giving out scholarships for local students. They might be for specific subjects, such as art, math, or science. These scholarships can also (eventually) lead to internships at the same company.

Time off to vote

Taking time off to vote is not always convenient, but employers recognize that it’s an essential civil duty for all law-abiding Americans. Companies that care provide their employees paid time off to vote, contributing to the democracy in our local communities.

Blood Drives

Blood banks are constantly in need of blood and plasma, especially for universal donors and rare blood types. Organizations may partner with local blood banks to host a blood drive at your company location. Having the donation done at the office is a time-saver for employees, and lets them give a life-saving gift to help others in their community.

Final Thoughts

I sincerely appreciate companies that offer these types of benefits to help improve their communities. There is so much good that comes from such a small investment.

If you missed any of the previous blogs in this series, check them out now:

How about you? What other things does your organization do that help support your local community? I would love to know, so please share in the comments below!