Giving back boosts morale and bottom line

Thu, 19/07/2018 - 10:54

It pays to be generous, especially when you’re giving back. Whether you’re donating goods, volunteering your time or leveraging your digital marketing agency’s skills to help boost a charity’s online awareness, being able to make a difference on a larger scale is something that can make employees happy.  

With an abundance of non-profit organisations to choose from in South Africa, it’s important to foster a culture of giving back and helping those in need. Regardless of your pressing deadlines, back-to-back meeting schedules or unread emails, spare a moment to show your community that you care. 

If you encourage your team to support a cause, you will be able to boost employee morale. It sounds bizarre, but there is something about helping others that creates positive energy. When people feel that they’re contributing to a purpose bigger than their own, it will make them feel better about themselves, which in turn, boosts workplace productivity, motivation and overall morale in the office. A team which is willing to invest, emotionally, in assisting a business will deliver measurable results for the bottom line.

Here are a few reasons why a culture of giving back can help boost employee morale:

Increased productivity in the office

The beauty of giving back is that it connects people. It inspires an effective teamwork approach to projects as people learn to work together to achieve a common goal. And when people work together, they’re usually assigned responsibilities which help them to feel empowered and motivated to work hard and not let their team down. While the end result of such a project might not benefit a team member on a personal level, it certainly will create a sense of reward when they see the impact their efforts have generated. 

Corporate pride among employees 

When employees feel engaged, it will reflect in their opinions towards the company. Corporate pride is something that employees feel when they are satisfied, valued, motivated and proud to represent the company they work for. If for whatever reason, an employee feels embarrassed or ashamed of their work environment, culture or colleagues, you will be able to see a drastic decrease in work ethic and morale. 

Take the millennial generation for example. This generation of workers has the power to start viral conversations, make a social change and persuade audiences to agree with their actions. As it is, they’re incredibly socially aware and conscious of their own actions, so if they could have the power to steer something good, then what better way to build company morale than encouraging them to give back.

A deeper level of gratitude

People have become so comfortable with being in their own bubble that they forget about the environment around them. Gratitude is a powerful emotion that can significantly change the way we feel about a particular situation. When we strive to grow our careers and make an impact, we feel gratitude towards our employers and colleagues. Employees who feel happy are less likely to leave. 

Another important tip to consider is the gratitude employees will feel when you give them a voice. When passion exceeds basic employee engagement, a business is giving employees the tools they need to make a difference on a far bigger scale. One that they could potentially never reach in their own capacity. 

Improved workplace behaviour 

Giving back makes people reflect on their own attitude towards work. When you’re taking the time to show others that you care, it will encourage improved ethical behaviour in the office. For example, ethical mindsets lead to better business and networking opportunities for companies and employees. A simple act of kindness could be the start of a profitable cycle for every company, including a digital marketing agency, whether it’s based in Johannesburg or elsewhere in South Africa. 

Start making meaningful connections 

At the end of the day, work goes beyond a 9 to 5 office job. Mindset and outlook on life can play a massive role in contribution to the company and job performance, so it’s essential for digital marketing agencies in South Africa to use their online skills and consider contributing to a corporate social investment initiative. This will help to boost employee morale and reap long-term benefits.

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