At the heart of any successful business is a happy and productive workforce. Dedicating time and resources to keeping staff motivated and engaged is an essential component in modern day business, where competition is intense. Finding ways to connect with employees across various aspects of the business can help retain top talent, leading to reductions in staff turnover, higher productivity levels and increased team morale, all of which contribute to boosting profit. Employee engagement strategies often centre on specific aspects such as attendance levels, as well as wider issues like levels of focus and motivation; if you can strive to fulfil all, your organisation will benefit from a more engaged culture. The secret lies in providing much more to working life than simply fulfilling a job description. Another factor influencing engagement levels is the organisation’s commitment to corporate responsibility. In today’s ever transparent world, an organisation’s commitment to operating sustainably and providing due consideration to the impact it is having on the wider community is imperative. Fundraising therefore, can be a valuable way to not only boost employee engagement but generate a positive image for the company too. If employees, suppliers, customers and the community all hold the organisation’s efforts in high regard, this can only have a positive effect for all concerned. With Christmas fast approaching, Charlotte Baldwin, Operations Manager at IQ Cards discusses how fundraising can be used as an effective employee engagement tool. Employee engagement Evidence has shown that time and time again, fundraising aids in creating a positive working culture. In-house fundraising will give all staff the opportunity to be involved in some way, either as part of events teams or simply by taking part and supporting the event. Reporting back on the success of everyone’s efforts is also a key factor in the morale boosting process and it is important that management provide a consistent and supportive presence during these events. Sponsored events can also lead to additional development on an external level, as volunteering can enable staff to get a real hands on experience, apply their skills in new settings and really see the value they can bring to charitable causes first hand. Opportunities within dedicated teams To ensure all fundraising activities are successful, the first step to introducing these initiatives is to create a dedicated fundraising team. Staff will feel valued and privileged to be invited or voted into the team and the process will in turn help to encourage involvement levels from fellow staff. The team will be responsible for leading the fundraising activities and they can also share their news and developments via newsletters or information boards with the rest of the workforce. Management should also be seen to be involved and allocate budgets where appropriate to help support the team’s endeavours. This will also empower staff by giving experience in areas such as project management, budgeting, marketing and communication in order to to aid them in their ongoing career development. The benefit of corporate fundraising Corporate fundraising doesn’t just have to focus on raising money, it can also emphasise the donation of time, skills or other resources; there are endless opportunities available depending on how creative your organisation wants to be. Once you have started to explore fundraising avenues you can also open doors to opportunities to work in partnership with other like-minded organisations. These affiliations will benefit your company and the charities alike, with the association to other companies contributing towards building awareness of your work, providing access to new customers, but more importantly, all working towards benefiting a charitable cause. Charity support pages such as Virgin Money Giving and Just Giving can also be used to aid fundraising by helping to spread awareness as well as collate donations from all fundraising activities in one place. These pages also enable employees to spread the word about their charitable endeavours via social media, providing further reach and positive publicity for the organisation and its fundraising campaign. In conclusion, fundraising in business is a great way to build a positive working environment while also creating a positive outlook that extends far beyond the day to day role. In the future of business, with all stakeholders placing more emphasis on business ethics, fundraising is set to become even more ingrained in the company culture of tomorrow’s businesses. Christmas is the ideal time to get started, but remember, there is much good work to be done throughout the year, so try to ensure such efforts become part of company culture, rather than just being a one-off seasonal activity. ENDS About the Author Charlotte Baldwin is Operations Manager at IQ Cards, a fundraising company that provide schools and establishments with the necessary tools to fundraise via selling high-quality and unique gifts designed by pupils. For more information visit: www.iqcards.co.uk Post navigation Online stores are most popular business voucher incentives Nearly half of Brits have never volunteered over the Christmas period