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‘Tis the season for donating! The holiday season is upon us, Christmas lists are out, and parties are being planned. Holiday hams and roasts are being reserved, and holiday vacations are right around the corner. With so much to be done and all the expense in both time and money to be spent, it’s important for us to remember both personally and professionally that now more than ever is a time to be charitable to those in need.
Donating – the positive impact on customers
According to an article published in Business News Daily in May 2013, it’s no longer a question of whether or not a company should exercise social responsibility. The real question is to what extent they should be. A research study by Cone Communications and Echo research showed 90% of consumers purchased a product or service from a company because of their social responsibility and charitable efforts. This assumed, however, that there was another company out there offering a similar product at a similar price. So unless you have a completely unique product you are cutting your consumer base to 10% if you aren’t making an effort to contribute positively to society.
Donating – the positive impact on employees
Let’s forget about the direct impact these efforts have on your ability to attract consumers for a second. Instead, let’s talk about the impact it has on your employees. The struggle to attract the best employees now focuses not just on what financial incentives your company can offer, but also more personal advantages you can provide. Employees are looking to their employers to provide them with a better work-life balance. This includes more flexible schedules, an enticing workplace culture, and one that is charitable.
Charity seems to be contagious. When you encourage others to be charitable you are contributing not only to the lives of those affected by your charity but also to the lives of those who give to that charity. The good news is there are so many charities to choose from. There are also many ways your company can support and contribute to them. It makes it very reasonable and easy to pick one and start making a real impact.
Donating – the positive impact on you
Take Milrich Associates for example. A companywide request for a gift exchange between employees has been put out. We are all based across the country, so to help facilitate we have used Elfster as a platform for our Secret Santa exchange. For every employee that participates in the gift exchange, Milrich will make a donation on our behalf to a local charity.
I have a very large family, so the holidays are always tight and this year is no exception. I typically do not participate in workplace gift exchanges, but this year I’m participating. The reason I’m telling you this – I’m participating this year specifically because of the charitable contribution. So go out there, choose an initiative, and set up a platform for your employees to help contribute! Let’s all work together to make this a wonderful holiday season for you, your employees, and the world – Season’s Greetings!
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