At our September ReThink Purpose Hour, we explored the intersection of civic responsibility, workplace culture, and organizational leadership. As we head into fall and the upcoming season of gratitude, we’re thinking about this discussion from a HEART-Level Leadership lens…how do business leaders connect gratitude in the workplace with community engagement?
Business leaders in 2024 are becoming aware that the workforce wants to know their company stands for civic engagement and fosters their employees’ ability to get involved.
Here are a few easy ways organizations can express gratitude to the communities they serve:
1. Getting Involved in Local Initiatives: If your organization has a commitment to a cause in their values statement, like Patagonia, then encouraging your organization to mobilize for change is easy. But, if you don’t it can be just as easy to make small waves within your team to engage.
TEAM EXERCISE: For a 60-minute team meeting, have everyone take 3 minutes to write down, as a group, what they are grateful for in their community. It can be around where they live or work. Next, have everyone agree on a collective initiative and research ways to advocate for it within the organization or as individuals (Chambers of Commerce websites, community foundations that support local projects, etc).
Give your team Civic Engagement Hours to advocate for causes or initiatives they’re passionate about or would like to do in the name of the organization.
2. Supporting Nonprofits: Finding local nonprofits that align with your organizational or team values. Volunteering human capital is a game changer in how your team will engage with their community. We all have causes and local issues that can be solved through activism and igniting engagement. Showing your team that taking dedicated working hours to fulfill civic responsibility is important. And to engage in making our community better shows gratitude to the people that work within that nonprofit and positively impact those around them.
TEAM EXERCISE: For a 60-minute team meeting, prepare everyone by telling them to research and bring to a meeting 1 nonprofit each that they’re interested in. Have everyone share briefly why they chose this nonprofit. Next, have the team agree on a nonprofit to volunteer for. Have a team of volunteers research ways for your organization to get involved.
Give your team Civic Engagement Hours or designate an Activism Day or Volunteer Day for them to do a service project for the organization they chose to support.
3. Hosting Events: Your company may be able to sponsor events or host events with local nonprofit organizations. To fulfil corporate social & civic responsibilities, events or fundraising initiatives are great ways to ignite that authentic culture of gratitude in your organization.
INVOLVEMENT IDEA: Find nonprofits like Wish For Wheels that provide service projects that fit into a scheduled company event or create a service project event just for your organization and invitees.
No matter the size of your organization, getting your staff involved in choosing initiatives to support is paramount. Employees have ties to the community and ideas that the organization can use to its advantage.
By evolving gratitude beyond mere verbal recognition, organizations show their employees that they care about more than just profits and pleasing their stakeholders. They show that the communities we live in and serve are greater than our offices and only thrive when we’re working together to make them the best they can be.
Lead your team to take meaningful action that aligns with company values and strengthens community ties.
RESOURCES:
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- The Colorado Nonprofit Association provides a comprehensive directory of nonprofits and community initiatives across the state. You can filter by location, area of focus, or cause.
- Local Chambers of Commerce
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- Chambers of Commerce often highlight local initiatives, events, and volunteer opportunities. You can check the websites of city-specific chambers like the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce or the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.
- Volunteer Match Websites
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- Platforms like VolunteerMatch and JustServe list community projects, events, and ongoing initiatives in Colorado. You can search by location and specific interests.
- Community Foundations
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- Many counties and regions have community foundations that support local projects and nonprofits. Examples include the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado and The Denver Foundation.
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- Check the Community Foundation Directory for specific foundations in your area.
- Colorado Government Websites
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- State and local government websites often list community engagement initiatives, grant opportunities, and civic projects. For statewide initiatives, visit Serve Colorado or the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA).
- Social Media and Community Platforms
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- Check local Facebook groups, LinkedIn, and platforms like Nextdoor for community discussions, initiatives, and volunteer opportunities that may not be listed on larger platforms.
- University and College Websites
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- Many universities have community engagement and outreach programs. Check sites like CU Boulder’s Office for Outreach and Engagement or the University of Denver’s Center for Community Engagement to find ongoing initiatives.
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