Organizations that make corporate social responsibility (CSR) a part of their mission aim to positively impact their community, the local economy or the environment. It reflects their accountability and commitment to contributing to the well-being of society through various environmental and social measures. Doing good feels good but it’s also an effective way to engage and retain employees. And when meeting planners incorporate CSR into their events in a way that aligns with the organization’s goals, it leads to stronger outcomes.
U.S. job openings hit a record high in September 2021 as companies across industries and regions struggled to find help. The economy is improving but employers are still struggling as many workers are outright quitting in search of something new.
Recruiters and HR professionals will tell you that finding and hiring talent is hard. Specific to the meeting and event industry, 58% of respondents to MPI’s winter 2023 Meetings Outlook survey said they are finding it difficult to fill vacancies at their organizations, however, employers across all industries are struggling with engagement and retention. Given demographic trends, that situation is not going to change anytime soon. Many organizations are raising wages but know that they must offer more than a bigger paycheck.
"When meeting planners incorporate CSR into their events in a way that aligns with the organization’s goals, it leads to stronger outcomes."
While there are many ways to increase employee engagement and retention, few are as impactful as CSR. It’s probably not the first thing that springs to mind when you think of CSR, but research shows that CSR is clearly linked to employee commitment and preservation.
So, how does community philanthropy impact employment choices? While its importance varies from individual to individual, people generally feel good about reaching out and helping others. And when a company does that, it shows that leadership cares about more than just the bottom line. Now imagine the company incorporates CSR into team building. Done well, the outcome is a positive, emotionally powerful shared experience.
Organizations that incorporate CSR into team building make a big impact on their employees and the community. As someone responsible for creating experiences and bringing visions to life, meeting planners can help these organizations impact change, improve engagement and retain employees by encouraging the following.
Show heart
Companies shouldn’t be afraid to show heart. When they embrace CSR, they help their employees facilitate connections, integrate work with life and ensure a sense of equality with their co-workers. Team building is fun but it’s also about building something bigger. Unifying teams by creating a common sense of purpose, tackling complicated challenges together using communication, competition, collaboration and problem-solving builds a strong culture of purpose and commitment.
Invest in teams
Meeting planners can support the position that investing in individuals is important but investing in teams is essential. Any team-building activity—whether the objective is to improve collaboration, problem-solving or professional skills enhances employee engagement—demonstrates to employees that their worth is more than the immediate value of their daily efforts and that the company is willing to invest in improving their skills and work life over the long term.
Even more than bonuses, team-building programs let individuals know that a company cares. And incorporating CSR into the programming shows they care about the community, too. Team building shows the organization’s commitment to developing leadership and interpersonal skills, and all while having fun doing it!
It’s difficult and expensive to retrain someone when a valued employee leaves a company. Retention is critical. Investing in teams is investing in engagement and if done correctly, equates to retention, enthusiasm and commitment.
Make meetings/events part of something bigger
Some employees spend all day in the office, full-time or several days per week. Others may they work remotely and spend the majority of their days isolated at home. Pulling the team together for a CSR team-building event at an offsite location puts an exclamation point on the organization’s effort to build something bigger than themselves.
Meeting planners who work with organizations to create an event with purpose—one that gives something back to an individual or community—is meaningful and memorable. Creating an opportunity for employees to experience emotions and a sense of purpose builds loyalty and strong teams.
Make an impact on the community
When organizations have CSR policies that enable employees to take paid time off to volunteer, it has a powerful impact on loyalty, engagement and retention. Supporting this initiative with team-building CSR events can further their efforts and have a positive impact on employee morale. CSR team-building events increase employee loyalty and engagement by enhancing their culture and creating an emotional and practical impact.
By making clear CSR commitments that resonate with employees, brands will create a positive reputation, which will also help attract and keep top talent.
If organizations want to retain their employees, they need to find ways to make them feel included and valued. Meeting planners that help organizations build loyalty and underscore employee value through CSR team-building events are making a real impact on the long-term success of the company.
By creating exceptional experiences and encouraging organizations to harness the benefits of CSR programming, meeting planners will set themselves apart from others who stick to the basics. As a result, working relationships with clients will also be strengthened.
