Community service is voluntary work done by an individual or group of individuals for the good and improvement of their community.
For a couple of decades, “Make a Difference Day” has emphasized the importance of community service. It is the year’s biggest day of community service, with millions of individuals around the world devoting their efforts to helping others. Community service and charity will have a huge effect on our lives as people, even to the point of improving our welfare.
Community service and vto help businesses in the same way, and the benefits extend far into the bottom line. There is increased interest in businesses that incorporate community service policies into their business model. The general public, consumers, staff, and career seekers also have an interest in this initiative.
Community Involvement and Job Seekers
It can surprise you to learn that many work seekers consider a company’s community service while applying for and agreeing to employment. If all other factors are roughly the same, a highly desirable job applicant may choose between your organization and a competitor based on your community involvement.
Community service policies are so essential to generation Y candidates that, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers survey, 86 percent of respondents stated they would abandon an organization if the community service policy program were to deteriorate. Community service in the workplace affects employee recruiting and retention. It becomes even more important as generation Y advances into the ranks of the workforce.
Employees and Community Service
Employees at Keller Williams have many chances to volunteer and give back to their communities. One such event is the annual RED Day in May, a day devoted to community service. Individual teams invest in pet projects during the year at corporate headquarters, and everybody has the choice of contributing to charity by directly depositing through their paychecks.
This type of community engagement on the part of a corporation instills pride in its workers and often improves their perception of their jobs. Community service contributes to developing and promoting a healthy community within a business and may encourage collaboration in the workplace. The more workers you will include in a community service policy, the greater the effect since participants are much more likely to report high work satisfaction.
As workers use their expertise for community service projects, they can develop and practice their workplace skills. Employees become more innovative in a different setting, troubleshoot challenges in novel ways, and develop additional talents that they would not have had the ability to use in the workplace. According to a True Impact survey, staff who participate in skills-based volunteer (SBV) activities see a 47 percent increase in work satisfaction.
HP exemplifies how community service improves employee satisfaction and morale. The corporation employs thousands of people worldwide and has much to contribute in terms of skills-based voluntary service. HP’s collaboration with organizations such as A Billion+ Change resulted in 1.6 million volunteer hours, and staff workplace satisfaction increased from 60% in 2012 to 71% today.
Customer Service and the Community
Unsurprisingly, the consumer’s perception of a business has a significant impact on the business’s core identity in the age of social media. Customers take special note when businesses demonstrate a dedication to their neighborhoods and community service policy.
Today’s consumers have more options than ever before, and they are often not restricted to what is available in their immediate vicinity. A company’s ethics, employee loyalty, and community engagement are starting to play a larger role in the brand a customer prefers. According to the Reputation Institute, customers place a higher premium on a company’s image than on the merchandise, 60%to 40%, respectively. Additionally, 41% of customer experience is influenced by three aspects of Corporate social responsibility (CSR): citizenship, job, and government.
The Walt Disney Corporation has a stellar record for decades, not only because its products and films bring happiness to children’s lives, but also because it is profoundly involved in charitable donations. Community service and humanitarianism have been taught in the company’s culture for decades, and a sincere desire to improve the lives of as many individuals as possible is tangible. Their Heroes Work Here program commits to recruiting veterans and assisting their communities in establishing one of the most comprehensive environmental policies in the industry.
The Community and the Community Service
A society is made up of more than just consumers. Other companies, the government, and neighbors all take notice of a company’s community engagement. Regardless of the internet’s existence, the wellbeing of a local community has a significant impact on the prosperity of its industries. Not only does community service build goodwill, but it also has the potential to increase a business’s prospects and employee relationships by making the neighborhood a safer place to live and function.
Corporate social accountability is a moral obligation to attend to. The reality that it greatly improves a company’s bottom line should be a secondary advantage, not a guiding force. Yes, it will result in increased revenue for companies. Yes, community service policies help a company establish a positive image. Yes, volunteer services can help a company gain an edge in the recruiting process. But above all else, a community service policy enables businesses to create a meaningful difference in the life of a large number of individuals regardless of profit margins.
Conclusion
Suppose you want to get your company active in the community but are not sure where to begin. In that case, we recommend that you begin by defining your purpose. What motivates you to accomplish the objectives you have set for yourself? Once you understand what motivates you, you will be best able to use the information to identify an area in the world in which you are excited about being active.
