In an era where corporate social responsibility (CSR) is more than just a buzzword, organizations must walk the talk when it comes to philanthropic impact. For those charged with employee engagement, rallying around meaningful causes not only aligns with broader corporate goals but can also bring together workers of all backgrounds.
Here’s how you can leverage cause-driven engagement to inspire and unite your team.
The power of cause-driven engagement
Employee engagement is not just about ticking boxes—it's about creating a workplace where individuals feel connected to a larger mission. According to a recent Gallup poll, many employees feel detached from their organizations, and a significant portion of them don’t connect with their company's mission or purpose. Addressing this gap can be achieved by embedding corporate values into meaningful, cause-driven activities.
Statistics highlight the importance of this approach: 67% of millennials prefer working for socially responsible companies, and 80% expect their employer to care about its societal impact. Without any engagement in what matters to them, employees tend to perform less, resulting in $1.9 trillion in lost productivity among US companies.
As the world adjusts to the “new normal” of remote and hybrid work, the need to feel a part of a team is all the more essential. The desire for purpose and alignment with shared values is clear in today’s workforce, making cause-driven engagement not just a trend but a necessity.
Implementing an effective employee engagement strategy
To effectively rally a team around a cause, it can be challenging to balance diverse employee interests, overcome time constraints and secure buy-in from leadership. Some ways to address these hurdles include:
Tailor initiatives: Offer a range of causes and activities to appeal to diverse interests and articulate how these benefit both the community and the employees themselves. Highlighting positive outcomes can motivate more employees to get involved.
Streamline participation: Make it easy for employees to get involved with minimal time commitment. Everyone has varying schedules and commitments, and offering flexible ways to participate can accommodate different preferences and increase overall involvement.
Build leadership support: Present data and case studies to demonstrate the business and social benefits of programs to leaders. Track participation rates, financial contributions, and feedback from employees. Sharing these metrics can help validate the program’s success and encourage continued participation.
How Zuora empowered employees to choose how they support climate-vulnerable communities
When software company Zuora wanted to engage their employees, its leadership decided to hone in on a topic that could unite its workforce of more than 1,600 people.
Inspired by its mission of promoting subscription business models that help companies streamline operations and reduce waste, Zuora chose to focus on climate change and the people most affected by it.
“Everyone deserves access to a safe and healthy environment” became the simple, accessible idea that brought together leadership employees around the cause. They partnered with Kiva for a dynamic 24-hour #EarthDay2024 campaign, "You Vote, We Give," which aimed to raise awareness among employees about pressing climate issues and enable them to have a hand in the company’s impact.
Each employee received $75 to vote using the brand’s Kiva Impact Dashboard — giving them the power to collectively decide where the brand would focus its CSR funds. Employees could choose a cause that resonated with them, across four vital categories: clean energy, farming, water and sanitation, and climate-conscious businesses.
The result?
Zuora employees directed over $142,000 to 93 borrowers in 12 countries, helping them to purchase clean water filters, solar lighting, and climate-resistant seeds, enabling them to improve their lives and grow their businesses to adapt to climate change.
And Zuora saw a huge 83% of their employees participate in the campaign — even more than their previous Kiva employee engagement campaign.
How Visa brought its workforce together to support women
Visa partnered with Kiva to create a campaign that launches on International Women’s Day every year. Each employee is granted $50 in lending credits and can choose who they would like to support through Kiva’s website.
In 2022, the campaign resulted in a remarkable 82% global employee participation rate, with employees supporting over 17,800 women-owned small businesses. The partnership won a 2022 Halo Award for Best Employee Engagement Initiative.
Not only was the initiative a participatory success, it made multifold impact: As the loans were repaid, many employees continued the cycle by relending the funds.
“Since joining Visa almost 5 years ago, I have made eight loans, 75% of them to women across five countries in Latin America,” shares Celinda Farias Appleby, Global Director of Talent Attraction at Visa.
“I love that at Visa, through our partnerships and programs we are able to help increase financial access and drive progress for the 1.4 billion people who are still underserved.”
Tactics to increase participation
How did Visa succeed in engaging so many employees across their global workforce? Here are a few key factors that can help create momentum:
Create a “moment.” Choosing a set period in time like International Women’s Day or another initiative gives a framework for an exciting launch.
Lead by example. Visa kicked off its campaign with stories from its CEO and executives about supporting Kiva borrowers, showing that the company’s C-Suite was all in.
Identify boosters. Maybe your company already has a network of ambassadors or a group of employees who already engage others naturally. Giving them a preview of the campaign and access to data can help spread the word.
Make it fun. Visa encouraged friendly rivalry between its global offices that had some supervisors volunteering to take a pie to the face if participation rates reached 70 percent — which quite a few did! Rewarding engagement with a few minutes of levity can encourage a remote team to make connections.
Read more: Visa and Kiva partner on most successful employee engagement campaign to date
Working for change
Rallying your team around a cause is more than just an engagement tactic—it’s a way to actualize CSR into everyday activities and build a stronger, more connected workforce. Kiva's range of causes you can impact gives employees the power of choice while actualizing your companies CSR strategy.
Kiva has helped over 200 organizations run hundreds of employee engagement campaigns. For more information on how Kiva can enhance your employee engagement efforts, explore our employee engagement resources and success stories. And get in touch if you’d like to work together to create meaningful impact and inspire your team to make a difference.
