Summary please

The pandemic shook up the way the typical workplace operates. Since then, some companies have gone back to traditional office models, but many are working in a hybrid style, which means company culture has changed, and in some cases suffered. With it, employee engagement has taken a hit. Volunteering is now being seen by many business leaders as a tool for employee connection. As a result, corporate social responsibility (CSR) professionals are expected to not only strategize, execute and measure philanthropic efforts, but are also being tasked with strengthening corporate culture.

"Our companies and leaders are looking to us to help get people back in the office or together and strengthen the corporate culture in this remote/hybrid environment," says Carley Stephens, manager of community affairs at Gas South. "In 2021, we had four team grants or employee-led volunteer events. In 2022, we had 12 and in 2023 alone, we have had over 20. Leaders are relying on volunteer events to get their people together because they cannot make the case that a meeting needs to be in person when it was virtual for the past two years."

But to get employees out of their home office, companies have to make the volunteering experience worth their while, says Jami Buck-Vance, Invesco social impact communications director. "If you're going to make people get out of their workout pants and their flip-flops, you're going to have to make it something that they're excited to go to. It can't just be, 'we require you to be in the office three days a week to make our culture amazing' because that's going to make people resentful," Buck-Vance says. "You have to make it meaningful and a great experience where they get to meet other people from all different departments that can help them with their job."

Amazon expanded its footprint in Georgia during the pandemic, so most of the local employees were hired at a time when working from home was the norm. The company has a workforce exceeding 30,000 individuals across the state, encompassing metropolitan Atlanta and regions such as Savannah, Macon and Augusta.

"Volunteerism is the powerful force that unites us, fostering a sense of belonging and camaraderie within the company," says Terreta Rodgers, head of community affairs for Amazon's Atlanta region. "Despite our team being spread across various cities, community engagement has been the bridge that connects us to our local employees. Sharing these meaningful activities through our internal communication channels has not only amplified our efforts, but also inspired a growing number of individuals to join in."

Bringing employees from different business units together for volunteer efforts has also had benefits from the business perspective, encouraging collaboration and helping get feedback from facility employees that live and work in a variety of communities.

"While we may not be able physically reach every community, our volunteer engagements enable me to connect with colleagues and members of the community to gather invaluable feedback on the pressing matters they hold dear," says Rodgers. "Our approach involves conducting listening sessions with community partners and policymakers, facilitating a dialogue that guides us toward meaningful areas of engagement."

Companies are also launching new programs. In 2022, Floor & Decor started a volunteer time off (VTO) program to foster community engagement opportunities with its associates. The company also created a Caring through Service program to impact local communities.

"Beginning MLK Day until the end of Q3, associates nationwide were encouraged to volunteer in their local communities to make a difference," says Tiffany Coakley, brand manager at Floor & Decor. "Associates used their VTO benefit to complete individual or team volunteer projects. In addition, associates could submit those organizations for a one-time Floor & Decor grant to amplify their impact."

Based on direct feedback from employees, Veritiv recently reimagined its CSR program. In May 2023, the packaging company launched its Veritiv Connect Online (VCO) website to streamline the process of volunteering so employees could create their own opportunities for causes meaningful to them, give back to existing nonprofit partners and read CSR-related news. To date, employees have volunteered 1,760 hours through 66 opportunities including 637 unique employee engagements. Veritiv also matches every dollar donated up to $10,000 per employee per year and gives employees $10 for every hour they volunteer to donate to a nonprofit of their choice. This benefit is designed to encourage all employees to participate, regardless of their ability to make personal donations.

Volunteerism is also encouraged through Veritiv's active senior leadership team, which advocates for volunteer opportunities and serves alongside their employees. Senior leaders have volunteered by making swimming safety kits, maintaining and planting trees, mentoring middle schoolers and building furniture with employees.

"Their actions serve as an encouraging example to employees that may be hesitant to volunteer due to the optics of 'being away from your desk.' As a result, our employees have been more actively engaged at both volunteer events and work," says Kat Reynolds, Veritiv manager of community relations. "These initiatives are the pathways in which we leverage volunteerism at Veritiv to better engage our workforce. These actions significantly contribute to our award-winning culture."

Dematic has engaged its employees through a community outreach program that includes FIRST Robotics as a corporate nonprofit partner since 2008. FIRST develops the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills of the next generation and Dematic engineers are part of a worldwide network of mentors who guide and support students as they pursue robotics competitions at the middle and high school level.

Dematic expanded its partnership with FIRST in 2019 by providing financial support to teams where its employees were actively engaged and to encourage more mentors and volunteers. In five years, Dematic has invested close to $250,000 in local team grants and student scholarships. And, within the last year, Dematic volunteers have spent more than 2,600 hours providing guidance and mentorships to students preparing for competitions and careers in STEM.

"At Dematic, we take pride in our long-standing commitments to the communities where we work and live. We provide time off for our employees to volunteer and offer community donation programs. Our commitment to supporting a culture of giving continues to make positive impacts across the organization. These efforts start at the top, and I'm proud to be part of a company where our leaders set the example," says Jenny Ferrell, vice president of human resources, Dematic Americas.

If you can get employees out of their home or high-rise office, the benefits to company culture are many, from getting employees to know each other and building trust and respect in an organization to developing culture champions.

"The people that volunteer are going to feel way more invested in the company; they're going to be proud of where they work," says Buck-Vance. "That's the difference. It's driving it internally, externally and it's all connected."

The Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta supports businesses delivering business results through civic engagement and social impact. Corporate social responsibility is good for our communities and for business. Read more, be inspired, and join us today.

Giannina Bedford Smith is a freelance writer for the Atlanta Business Chronicle.