MAP Communications: Creating lasting employee engagement through Workplace Giving

MAP Communications: Creating lasting employee engagement through Workplace Giving.

Earlier this year, Grant Sibley, CFO of MAP Communications, introduced a Workplace Giving Program to support our BTO projects in Nepal and Kenya. He explains what workplace giving means to his organisation and why MAP has embarked on this giving journey.

“Our company has been a financial supporter of Beyond The Orphanage for many years now. After a recent presentation to our employees describing the impact our company donations were making on the lives of the children of BTO, our staff began to approach management asking how they could do more individually over and above what the company was already contributing. We were incredibly touched by this and as a result our Workplace Giving program was created. The MAP team made it very easy for employees to jump on board to donate and Beyond the Orphanage make sure that the impact and the results of the program are available for everyone to see. We are extremely proud to be the first official Workplace Giving partner of Beyond The Orphanage, and we look forward to seeing many more children’s lives changed for the better as a result!” Grant Sibley, CFO MAP Communications

There are the usual tax benefits for the organisation and its employees, but then there’s the strong emotional connections that people have with a cause which have been proven to boost employee engagement. This is not a theory – “prosocial” behaviour is backed by science. In other words, it is the act of doing something for the benefit of others, which then positively affects the individual partaking in the act, and in turn the workplace.

Getting your employees to invest emotionally in a good cause supported by your company boosts employee engagement, and creates a positive environment by enhancing morale. More than ever, we are seeking to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We are part of a socially conscious generation.

Need some more convincing? The idea that workplace giving increases employee engagement is not such a hard one to understand, but here are four things which go hand in hand with engagement:

Increase in productivity

When there is one common goal, everyone buckles down and works together to reach that goal. It creates a sense of belonging and that “bigger than me” feeling. Employees are inspired to do their part and don’t want to let the team down.

Workplace giving is an effective method for fostering that desired team environment and the resulting productivity.

Company pride.

Research shows that staff turn over is largely influenced by company pride. Understandably, if an employee is proud of their company – whether it is the culture, set of values, or their peers, is going to directly affect how long that employee wants to “stick around”.

Workplace giving is a beautiful and personal way to cultivate company pride and build employee engagement.

Mindfulness and thankfulness

Practising mindfulness and gratitude doesn’t come easy for everyone. And here’s your change to provide an outlet for your employees to be just that – grateful. Being grateful can change a employee’s outlook on a work environment. The team is more likely to build a strong emotional connection with the organisation and the culture.

MAP Communications’ employees receive a quarterly newsletter from Beyond the Orphanage, keeping them in the loop on the progress of the cause they are supporting.

In the case of MAP Communications & Beyond the Orphanage, the degree of separation between the children they are supporting and the employees is very short. Seeing their direct impact quenches an employee’s prosocial thirst, they feel pride, and gratitude.

Morale and Ethics

Giving makes you happy.

A company with good ethical behaviour naturally breeds good ethics amongst its staff. Ethics really loop us back to productivity, pride, gratitude and ethical behaviour. It all comes back full circle.

So if you’re sitting on the fence with workplace giving at your office, now’s the time to start. If you need some advice, our team can show you step-by-step how to set up a Workplace Giving Program. We can also provide marketing materials for you to help spread the word – for example, we can create a co-branded brochure for you to send to your employees which will introduce BTO and Workplace Giving.

See our frequently asked questions for employees, for businesses, and for payroll departments.

We’d love to have a chat about whether Workplace Giving with Beyond the Orphanage is an option you’d like to explore. Contact us today to discuss your options for getting the word out!